Cerebral vasculitis presenting as a stroke

BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Nov 27:2012:bcr2012007194. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-007194.

Abstract

A 57-year-old man was admitted with right arm weakness and numbness on the background of intermittent headaches. On examination he was found to have mildly decreased sensation, power was 4/5 on the right side. He had dyspraxia in the right hand and was unable to spell his name. His speech was hesitant and he had left-sided visual field impairment as well as some photophobia. MRI and CT revealed multiple areas of haemorrhage and infarctions raising the possibility of primary angitis of brain. The biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The patient responded to steroids and immunosuppressants partially.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage / diagnosis
  • Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage / pathology
  • Biopsy
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cerebral Angiography
  • Cerebral Arteries / pathology
  • Cerebral Infarction / diagnosis
  • Cerebral Infarction / etiology
  • Cerebral Infarction / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Stroke / diagnosis*
  • Stroke / etiology*
  • Stroke / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / complications*
  • Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / diagnosis*
  • Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / pathology