Title:Artery of Percheron Infarction: A Characteristic Pattern of Ischemia and Variable Clinical Presentation: A Literature Review
Volume: 17
Author(s): Osama Kheiralla*, Salem Alghamdi, Rowa Aljondi, Abdulrahman Tajaldeen and Adel Bakheet
Affiliation:
- Radiological Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam,Saudi Arabia
Keywords:
Artery of percheron, infraction, paramedian, thalamus, midbrain, posterior cerebral artery.
Abstract: The Artery of Percheron (AOP) is an uncommon anatomic variant that provides arterial
supply to the paramedian region of the thalami and bilaterally to the rostral part of the midbrain; it
is a solitary arterial trunk that branches from a proximal segment of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA).
Although AOP infarction results in a characteristic pattern of ischemia—namely bilateral
paramedian thalamic infarct with or without midbrain involvement—it may cause diagnostic difficulties
due to the variety of its clinical presentations and wide differentials, as well as its small diameter
and the difficulty of obtaining visualization through diagnostic imaging. Early neuroimaging
of AOP infarction and correct diagnosis are mandatory for early initiation of the appropriate
treatment and better patient outcomes. In this study, we discuss imaging the patterns of AOP infarction
and its differentials and clinical presentation.
