Management of Intracranial Aneurysm Causing a Third Cranial Nerve Palsy: MRA, CTA or DSA?

Abstract

The management of a patient with a suspected posterior communicating artery aneurysm is discussed with emphasis on neuroimaging including magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computed tomography angiography (CTA) and intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA). This paper underscores the advantages and disadvantages of each neuroimaging modality, and is presented in an atlas-type format.

KEYWORDS:

• magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
• computed tomography angiography (CTA) or intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA)
• oculomotor nerve palsy
• aneurysm