SEVERE SPONTANEOUS CAROTID-ARTERY DISSECTION AND MULTIPLE ANEURYSMAL DILATATIONS - A CASE-REPORT

Spontaneous cervical artery dissections or arterial aneurysms associat ed with deficiencies of alpha(1)-antitrypsin (alpha(1)-AT) or other in hibitors of proteolytic enzymes have occasionally been reported. Howev er, a coexistence of severe spontaneous internal carotid artery dissec tion and multiple aneurysmal dilatations associated with alpha 1-AT ph enotype M(1)S have not yet been presented; herein the authors describe such a patient. In order to avoid the risks associated with intraarte rial angiography in a patient in whom an underlying arteriopathy is su spected, only noninvasive techniques were employed. This case demonstr ates that magnetic resonance imaging combined with magnetic resonance angiography is a valuable noninvasive method for use in diagnosis and follow-up of carotid artery dissection.