Intracranial aneurysms are usually asymptomatic and discovered as an incidental finding at imaging performed for other reasons. Symptomatic aneurysms can be found in the context of a cranial nerve deficit or they can be diagnosed as subarachnoid hemorrhage in the catastrophic scenario of an aneurysmal rupture. It is important to mention that the rupture risk of symptomatic aneurysms is considered higher than for the asymptomatic ones, and thus the need for treatment is more imperative. Although unruptured intracranial aneurysms are mostly silent, visual dysfunction (due to compression of the optic nerve/tract) and oculomotor nerve palsy have been described as typical signs and symptoms. Additionally, unusual headaches have been described in the literature as a potentially correlated symptom.
However, the symptomatology of the unruptured aneurysms still remains ambiguous making their diagnosis challenging.
In certain cases, unruptured intracranial aneurysm have been correlated even with epilepsy, cerebral infarcts or transient ischemia. Furthermore, in medical practice and in the recent literature, we often observe that vertigo is reported as an initial or coexisting symptom at the diagnosis of un intracranial aneurysm, without any other obvious vertiginous etiology and independent of the aneurysm location. Most of the symptoms of the unruptured intracranial aneurysms are explained by a local, mechanical phenomenon due to compression of the aneurysm to the adjacent tissue. In the context of vertigo and other atypical symptoms, a hemodynamic pathophysiological theory which indicates the formation of a disturbed blood flow has been proposed as the possible mechanism. Nevertheless, apart from the cases of cranial nerve palsy, neither of the aforementioned symptoms is considered as a typical clinical presentation of an unruptured intracranial aneurysm and thus more studies are necessary in order to clarify this field.
In this Research Topic, we will accept all types of manuscripts within this area of research, with the purpose to provide readers and clinicians a broad overview on the clinical presentation, and more particularly, on the non-specific symptomatology of unruptured intracranial aneurysms. This article collection will enlighten the “atypical” symptomatology, the potentially warning signs, and even establish “new” symptoms as the “characteristic” ones. Special importance will be given to headaches and vertigo. Concerning vertigo, the exclusion of any other relevant etiology and the description of the characteristics of vertigo is suggested. The evaluation of each possible symptom as regards to aneurysm characteristics, aneurysm location, other clinical parameters, and if possible, a control-group is highly recommended. Articles evaluating the clinical impact of aneurysmal hemodynamics will be very appreciated. Finally, we greatly encourage articles studying the evolution of symptoms after treatment of the symptomatic unruptured cerebral aneurysms.
Intracranial aneurysms are usually asymptomatic and discovered as an incidental finding at imaging performed for other reasons. Symptomatic aneurysms can be found in the context of a cranial nerve deficit or they can be diagnosed as subarachnoid hemorrhage in the catastrophic scenario of an aneurysmal rupture. It is important to mention that the rupture risk of symptomatic aneurysms is considered higher than for the asymptomatic ones, and thus the need for treatment is more imperative. Although unruptured intracranial aneurysms are mostly silent, visual dysfunction (due to compression of the optic nerve/tract) and oculomotor nerve palsy have been described as typical signs and symptoms. Additionally, unusual headaches have been described in the literature as a potentially correlated symptom.
However, the symptomatology of the unruptured aneurysms still remains ambiguous making their diagnosis challenging.
In certain cases, unruptured intracranial aneurysm have been correlated even with epilepsy, cerebral infarcts or transient ischemia. Furthermore, in medical practice and in the recent literature, we often observe that vertigo is reported as an initial or coexisting symptom at the diagnosis of un intracranial aneurysm, without any other obvious vertiginous etiology and independent of the aneurysm location. Most of the symptoms of the unruptured intracranial aneurysms are explained by a local, mechanical phenomenon due to compression of the aneurysm to the adjacent tissue. In the context of vertigo and other atypical symptoms, a hemodynamic pathophysiological theory which indicates the formation of a disturbed blood flow has been proposed as the possible mechanism. Nevertheless, apart from the cases of cranial nerve palsy, neither of the aforementioned symptoms is considered as a typical clinical presentation of an unruptured intracranial aneurysm and thus more studies are necessary in order to clarify this field.
In this Research Topic, we will accept all types of manuscripts within this area of research, with the purpose to provide readers and clinicians a broad overview on the clinical presentation, and more particularly, on the non-specific symptomatology of unruptured intracranial aneurysms. This article collection will enlighten the “atypical” symptomatology, the potentially warning signs, and even establish “new” symptoms as the “characteristic” ones. Special importance will be given to headaches and vertigo. Concerning vertigo, the exclusion of any other relevant etiology and the description of the characteristics of vertigo is suggested. The evaluation of each possible symptom as regards to aneurysm characteristics, aneurysm location, other clinical parameters, and if possible, a control-group is highly recommended. Articles evaluating the clinical impact of aneurysmal hemodynamics will be very appreciated. Finally, we greatly encourage articles studying the evolution of symptoms after treatment of the symptomatic unruptured cerebral aneurysms.