Board Review 2 – Case 5

Neuroradiology board review. This lecture is geared towards the ABR core exam for residents, but it would be useful for review for the ABR certifying exam or certificate of added qualification (CAQ) exam for neuroradiology.

More description and the answer (spoiler!) are seen below the video.

This case shows a patient with headache. Images are from an MR angiogram of the neck. The first few images show absence of filling of the left vertebral artery. This could theoretically be from atherosclerotic disease or thrombosis, but there is filling on a contrast enhanced MRA of the neck. This is because the flow in the vertebral artery is reversed in the setting of occlusion of the proximal subclavian artery.

The diagnosis is: subclavian steal