Presentation
Left tinnitus.
Patient Data
Age: 65 years
Gender: Female
From the case:
Anterior inferior cerebellar artery vascular loop - type III
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There is a vascular loop of the left anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) where the artery is reaching the lateral part of the internal auditory canal (IAC).
High signal foci on T2 and FLAIR sequences at subcortical and periventricular white matter of both cerebral hemispheres depict microvascular ischemic events.
Case Discussion
AICA loop in the cerebellopontine cistern has been implied in causing auditory and vestibular symptoms, as well as a hemifacial spasm, resulting from compression of the VII and VIII cranial nerves.
The vessels can be classified according to their anatomic location:
- type I: lying only in the CPA, but not entering the internal auditory canal (IAC)
- type II: entering, but not extending >50% of the length of the IAC
- type III: entering and extending >50% of the length of the IAC