MR Recognition of Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion

Imaging of vascular structures and blood flow with mag-netic resonance (MR) has added a new dimension in evalu-ating patients with suspected intracranial circulatory distur-bances [1]. By using appropriate MR pulse sequences, the capability now exists of diagnosing intracranial circulatory abnormalities without the injection of radiographic contrast agents. We report a case of internal carotid artery occlusion initially diagnosed by MR. Case Report A 41-year-old man underwent neurologic evaluation after 3 years of severe, intermittent, bifrontal headaches that at times were asso-ciated with paresthesias of the right side of his body. About 2 months before admission, the patient experienced an episode of sudden pain that radiated down the left side of his mandible and was accompanied by severe headache, nausea, vomiting, and scotomata. The patient'