Jiann-Jy Chen a, b, c, Ming-Hsun Chung a, Chin-Hua Yang d, Dem-Lion Chen e
aDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Taoyuan Hospital, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
bDepartment of Medical Imaging, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
cFaculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan
dDepartment of Radiology, Taoyuan Hospital, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
eG-Home Otorhinolaryngologic Clinic, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Abstract
Vertebrobasilar artery anomaly can present with transient Bow Hunter's syndrome. A 37-year-old woman presented with a 1-year history of frequent fainting, dizziness and palpitations when turning her head to the right. Her physical examination showed no abnormalities except that the right Dix-Hallpike test, supine to head-lateral test and squat to stand test transiently induced subjective symptoms but not nystagmus. Time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography revealed the following central vascular anomalies: (1) vertebrobasilar artery anomaly; (2) hypoplasia of the bilateral posterior communicating arteries; (3) hypoplasia of the posterior inferior cerebellar arteries; and (4) stenosis of the bilateral intracranial vertebral arteries. Diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintensity of the left-side midbrain and left-side vermis. One month after antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and recommended changes in head positioning, transient Bow Hunter's syndrome subsided. She had no repeat of symptoms over the following 1 year.
Keywords
Bow Hunter's syndrome; Dizziness; Fainting; Vertebrobasilar artery anomaly
