Circle of Willis lesions Flashcards
What artery is this?
Anterior cerebral artery (ACA)
How would a lesion in this artery present?
Contralateral hemiparesis and sensory loss
-Lower extremity > upper extremity
This is ACA (anterior cerebral artery)
what is this artery?
Middle cerebral artery (MCA)
How would a lesion in this artery present?
This is the MCA (middle cerebral artery)
Contralateral hemiparesis and sensory loss
-upper extremity> lower extremity
-Homonymous hemianopia (as MCA supplies Broadmanns area 8 containing frontal eye fields ect)
-Aphasia (think of position of Broca’s/ Wernicke’s)
what artery is this?
anterior communicating artery
what artery is this?
internal carotid
what artery is this?
retinal/ opthalmic artery
what does a lesion in this artery lead to?
this is retinal/ opthalmic artery
leads to Amaurosis fugax (temporary blindness/ transient vision loss)
what is this artery?
Posterior communicating artery
what is this artery?
Posterior cerebral artery
What does a lesion in this artery cause?
-Contralateral homynomous hemianopia with macular sparing
-Visual agnosia (for example knows what a bike handle is + bike seat but cant recognise them on a bike)
This is the PCA (posterior cerebral artery)
what are these arteries called?
Pontine arteries
what is this artery called?
Basilar artery
What would a lesion in this artery cause?
‘Locked in’ syndrome
-this is when the patient is aware but cant move anything apart from eyes
This is the Basilar artery
What is this artery?
superior cerebellar artery
what is this artery?
Anterior inferior cerebellar artery
How does a lesion in this artery present?
This is a lesion in the anterior inferior cerebellar artery
Causes Lateral Pontine Syndrome:
Ipsilateral Facial paralysis/ deafness
Contralateral limb/ torso sensory loss
What is this artery?
Posterior inferior cerebellar artery
What does a lesion in this artery lead to?
This is the posterior inferior cerebellar artery
Leads to Lateral Medullary syndrome/ Wellenberg syndrome:
Horner syndrome (decreased pupil size, drooping eyelid, decreased sweating on one side of body)
Contralateral limb/torso pain and temperature loss
Ataxia, nystagmyus
Ipsilateral facial pain and temperature loss
Distinguishing factor between PICA and AICA: PICACHEW- PICA cant chew= dysphagia
Painful third nerve palsy- where is the lesion likely to be?
Third nerve palsy:
Eye is deviated ‘down and out’
Ptosis
Pupil may be dilated
Posterior Communicating artery aneurysm
