Thrombosed MCA Aneurysm Mimicking an Insular Cavernous Angioma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

IntroductionCerebral cavernous malformations (CCM) can mimic other lesions such as thrombosed aneurysms.Completely thrombosed aneurysms (CTA) are rare, especially in non-giant aneurysms. Case presentationWe report a case of 40-year-old man with a presumed insular CCM. A surgery was performed and revealed a thrombotic distal middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm. The treatment consisted in sac incision and partial debulking. We reviewed the cases of thrombotic non-giant CTA and lesions mimicking CCM in the literature. ConclusionComplete radiologic analysis and differential diagnosis remain crucial. For non-giant CTA, there is no clear consensus on their management, but they could be managed conservatively.