MRA EXAMINATION OF THE HEAD WITH AND WITHOUT CONTRAST - 1

MRA EXAMINATION OF THE HEAD WITH AND WITHOUT CONTRAST

INDICATION FOR STUDY:  Trigeminal neuralgia.

FINDINGS:  Time-of-flight images, source images, and reconstructive images were performed on the 1.0 Tesla GE MRI.  Upon careful view of all the images, the internal carotid arteries bilaterally appear patent.  There is a mass associated with the left internal carotid artery through the region of cavernous sinus.  There is slight irregularity to the artery seen on both the sources image and reconstructive images, but it is patent.  This is most likely secondary to the surrounding mass.  There is also tortuosity of the vessel.  There is no significant aneurysmal dilatation identified.  The remainder of the internal carotid arteries, basilar artery, and Circle of Willis show no significant abnormality.  There is no other significant area of stenosis.  The possibility of very small aneurysm cannot completely be excluded.

IMPRESSION:  Changes noted to the internal carotid artery in the left through the region of cavernous sinus consistent with the patient’s history of surrounding mass.  There is slight irregularity and slight extrinsic compression in this region, it appears from the source and reconstructive images.  There is no clear evidence of complete occlusion and the vessel appears patent.  Would recommend clinical correlation or further evaluation as necessary or cardiac catheterization as clinically indicated.  There are no significant prominent feeding vessels to the mass in the region surrounding the left internal carotid artery through the region of the cavernous sinus.

Thank you for the referral.

XXXXXXXX, M.D.