Extracranially located PICA aneurysm presenting with supratentorial IVH: A rare event with diagnostic pitfalls

Abstract

Extracranially located posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms are rare with only 21 cases reported till date. They may arise either from the proximal segment of an extracranially originating PICA or from the tip of its caudal loop when it dips below the foramen magnum. A 16-year-old female presenting with sudden onset severe headache and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in the occipital horns of the lateral ventricle and the fourth ventricles, was diagnosed to have an extracranial proximal segment PICA aneurysm on a four vessel digital subtraction angiography (DSA), after initially missing it on the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with angiogram (MRA) because of its extracranial location. During surgery, the aneurysm was clipped following a far lateral suboccipital craniectomy with C1-C2 hemilaminectomy. The patient showed good recovery. Thus, we emphasize the need for a dedicated four vessel angiography to diagnose such lesions.