Spontaneous cerebral calcific embolus from the aortic arch

Received 16 November 2008; received in revised form 28 June 2009; accepted 4 July 2009.

Abstract

Spontaneous calcific embolism is an uncommon cause of stroke. In most cases calcified cardiac valves are the sources of the emboli although embolization of calcific material from the brachiocephalic trunk has also been described. We report a case of stroke attributable to spontaneous calcific emboli from the aortic arch in which migration of the emboli was observed along the middle cerebral artery following iv tPA.

Keywords: Cerebrovascular diseases, Calcific embolus

a UARH (Short Stay Unit), University Hospital Marques de Valdecilla, Avda Marques de Valdecilla s/n, 39008-Santander, Cantabria, Spain

b Radiology Department, University Hospital Marques de Valdecilla, Avda Marques de Valdecilla s/n, 39008-Santander, Cantabria, Spain

c Neurology Department, University Hospital Marques de Valdecilla, Avda Marques de Valdecilla s/n, 39008-Santander, Cantabria, Spain

Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 942 202520x73080; fax: +34 942 201663.

PII: S0303-8467(09)00174-7

doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2009.07.006

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