ABSTRACT
Dissection of cervical arteries constitutes a medical emergency. Although relatively rarely, activities classified as sports and recreation may be a cause of arterial dissection independently of neck or head trauma. The purpose of the present paper was to present a series of cases of cerebrum-cervical arterial dissection in individuals during or soon after the practice of these sports activities. Methods Retrospective data on patients with arterial dissection related to sports and recreation. Results Forty-one cases were identified. The most frequently affected vessel was the vertebral artery. A large variety of activities had a temporal relationship to arterial dissection, and jogging was the most frequent of these. This is the largest case series in the literature. Conclusion Arterial dissection may be a complication from practicing sports.
A dissecção das artérias cervicais é uma emergência médica. Embora de forma relativamente rara, certas atividades descritas como esportes e recreação podem ser a causa de dissecção arterial independentemente de trauma de crânio ou cervical. O propósito do presente estudo é apresentar uma série de casos de dissecção de artérias cérebro-cervicais em indivíduos durante ou logo após a prática destas atividades desportivas. Métodos Dados retrospectivos de pacientes com dissecção arterial relacionada à prática de esportes e recreação. Resultados Quarenta e um casos foram identificados. A artéria mais frequentemente afetada foi a vertebral. Uma grande variedade de atividades teve relação temporal com a dissecção arterial, sendo a corrida a mais frequente delas. Esta é a maior série de casos da literatura. Conclusão Dissecção arterial pode ser uma complicação da prática de esportes.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Athletic Injuries/complications , Carotid Artery, Internal, Dissection/etiology , Recreation , Sports/statistics & numerical data , Vertebral Artery Dissection/etiology , Cerebral Angiography , Carotid Artery, Internal, Dissection/pathology , Headache/etiology , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Stroke/etiology , Vertebral Artery Dissection/pathologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become generally accepted as a non-invasive method to provide the definitive diagnosis of cervicocerebral vessel dissection. The finding of an intramural hematoma on axial MR images is the characteristic sign of the disease. However, there has been no previous report of the characteristic magnetic resonance angiographic (MRA) findings. METHOD: The authors retrospectively reviewed MRI and MRA findings of patients with spontaneous extracranial carotid dissection. The most striking finding on MRA was the straightness of the affected artery when compared to the non-affected side of the same patient. For quantitative measurement, "Carotid Straightness Index (CSI)" was developed to measure the straightness of the arteries and compared the indices of both extracranial internal carotid arteries in the same patient. RESULTS: The patients' age range was from 21-55 years (mean 38 years). There were 6 males and 3 females. All patients had the classical "Straight artery sign" on the MRA. The carotid straightness index was significantly higher in the affected artery when compared to the normal side of the same patient. CONCLUSION: The straight artery sign and the carotid straightness index can be very useful for early detection of the extracranial carotid dissection. It can be found in early stage disease or in less severe forms of carotid dissection where significant narrowing is not demonstrated.