A ruptured dissecting aneurysm of the anterior radiculomedullary artery caused by vertebral angiography.

We report here a 54-year-old man with an aneurysm arising on a cervical anterior radiculomedullary artery. The aneurysm ruptured just after vertebral angiography for a vascular anomaly of the brain, and it appeared to be fusiform, with thrombosis following angiography. Considering the sequential radiological studies and clinical course, it was assumed to be a dissecting aneurysm caused by the angiography. MRI showed severe swelling of the cervical spinal cord and an infarct in the territory of the anterior spinal artery. The mechanism of this rare complication is discussed.