Vascular Disorders
Aneurysms
An Aneurysm can best be likened unto a “Balloon” on a bicycle tire. The above picture represents an arteriogram of the Vertebral Artery in the brain. An arteriogram (or Angiogram if smaller vessels are being studied.) is made by injecting specific vessels with a “dye” which shows up in a series of X-rays. In the MRI picture below, the same aneurysm was first discovered.
The Brain Aneurysm Foundation, Inc.
295 Cambridge Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
Phone: 617 723-3870
Fax: 617 723-8672
Strokes
There are two basic types of strokes: “Wet” or hemorrhagic and “Dry” or non-hemorrhagic strokes. They are subcategorized as follows:
- Hemorrhagic(“a bleed”)
- Hypertensive ( This is one of the most avoidable tragedies of High Blood Pressure!)
- Spontaneous (Other causes such as aneurysm, AVM’s, amyloidal, bleeding from tumors, infections, trauma…)
- Non-Hemorrhagic(Results in dead areas of the brain from lack of oxygen.)
- Embolic
- Cardiac (from fibrillations, old myocardial infarcts, endocarditis…)
- Carotid Artery ( pieces of plaque of clots breaking off)
- Thrombosis (this usually occurs from clotting off from arteriosclerosis or “hardening of the arteries”)
- Embolic
Helpful Links
Learn more about aneurysms and strokes at the links below:
- Arteriovenous Malformation Center at MGH/Harvard
- AVM’s by John R. Mangiardi, M.D. at BrainSurgery.com
- Brain Aneurysm and AVM Center at MGH
- Aneurysm Information Project
- Acute Stroke Toolbox
- The Internet Stroke Center
- “Brain Attack”by John R. Mangiardi, M.D.
- MGH Harvard Vascular Home Page
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- YourSurgery.com