Aneurysm
A weak area in the wall of a blood vessel that balloons outward, and forms a thin-walled sac or bubble.
Aneurysm recanalization
A previously treated aneurysm that refills or regrows and may require retreatment.
Angiogram
A x-ray test to look at blood vessels by placing a catheter in a patient's groin (femoral artery) and uses a catheter (long plastic tube) to inject a dye into the vessels of interest.
Cerebral
Related to the brain
Coils
A medical device made of long strands of very thin, coiled wire, which facilitate clotting in an aneurysm. The coils are detached into the aneurysm by an electrical current.
Computed tomographic angiography (CTA)
A diagnostic test that uses x-rays from many angles to produce cross-sectional images of a part of the body
Contrast
This is a liquid that is injected in blood vessels to allow visualization of structures of interest using x-rays, CT or MRI
Diagnostic cerebral angiogram
A test used to diagnose abnormalities of the blood vessels of the brain, using a small tube (catheter) from the leg blood vessel into the blood vessel of the neck and injecting dye to see the blood flow
Embolization
Blocking a blood vessel, aneurysm, or AVM with a material (either coils, particles, gel foam) to reduce or stop blood from flowing into it
Endovascular
A minimally invasive approach to diagnose or treat problems with blood vessels.
Endovascular procedures are performed via a small incision in an artery and tiny tools are used to treat problems with blood vessels, from inside the blood vessel.
Hemorrhage
Loss of blood from a damaged blood vessel
Interventional Neuroradiology (INR) / Interventional Neurology / Endovascular Neurosurgery
A specialty that addresses problems of the blood vessels in the brain using treatment techniques from inside the blood vessel, or endovascular. This includes procedures in the brain (intracranial), outside the brain (outside the skull, above the heart), and blood vessel problems related to the spinal cord
Ischemia
Deficient supply of blood and oxygen to an area of the brain, that may be due to obstruction of blood flow (as by a clot, or narrowing of arteries by spasm or atherosclerotic disease).
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Is a noninvasive test that provides accurate information for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease and injury in a wide range of organ systems. MRI enables visualization of differences between normal and abnormal tissues in the body with great accuracy. MRI is a reflection of the atomic makeup of tissue.
Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
Using MRI technology, this test looks at blood vessels (arteries) in a region of interest (head or neck)
Stenosis
Narrowing of a blood vessel
Stroke
Sudden loss of strength, sensation, speech caused by obstruction or rupture of a blood vessel in the brain.
Thrombus
A blood clot
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
A brief period of cerebral ischemia that is characterized by temporary slurring of speech, trouble producing speech, loss of strength, loss of vision, numbness or paralysis. This is often predictive of a serious stroke, and has also been labeled as "mini-stroke."