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Atlanto-occipital ligament calcification: a novel imaging finding in pediatric rotational vertebral artery occlusion

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Abstract

We describe a 2-year-old girl with bow hunter syndrome complicated by vertebral artery dissection and multiple ischemic infarcts. Pediatric bow hunter syndrome is a rare and likely under-recognized disorder. Interestingly, our patient had atlanto-occipital ligament calcification on CT scan, an imaging finding that has not been reported in association with bow hunter syndrome and one that might help increase recognition of this dynamic disorder of the posterior circulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurology, Children’s National Health System, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, W4-800, Washington, DC, 20010, USA

    Nathan T. Cohen & Dana B. Harrar

  2. Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA

    Dana B. Harrar

  3. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, USA

    Yaser A. Diab

  4. Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA

    Yaser A. Diab

  5. Division of Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Monica S. Pearl

  6. Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, USA

    Monica S. Pearl & Jonathan G. Murnick

  7. Department of Radiology and Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA

    Jonathan G. Murnick

Authors
  1. Nathan T. Cohen
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  2. Dana B. Harrar
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  3. Yaser A. Diab
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  4. Monica S. Pearl
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  5. Jonathan G. Murnick
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Correspondence to Nathan T. Cohen.

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Cohen, N.T., Harrar, D.B., Diab, Y.A. et al. Atlanto-occipital ligament calcification: a novel imaging finding in pediatric rotational vertebral artery occlusion. Pediatr Radiol 50, 137–141 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-019-04515-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-019-04515-0

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