THALAMIC INFARCTION IN CHILDHOOD DUE TO EXTRACRANIAL VERTEBRAL ARTERYABNORMALITIES

We report two children who developed thalamic infarctions which were d emonstrated by CT. Both children had apparently normal angiograms alth ough the extra cranial portions of the vertebral arteries were not dem onstrated on the initial examination. Subsequent angiograms demonstrat ed abnormalities of the cervical portion of the vertebral arteries, di ssection and pseudoaneurysm in one case and a large fusiform aneurysm in the other. Both children made full neurological recoveries. The tha lamus is supplied by branches from the vertebro-basilar circulation an d it is important to study the entire length of the extra cranial vert ebral arteries as well as the intracranial vasculature.