Bilateral Thalamic Infarction Related to Artery of Percheron with Microembolic Signal

Abstract

The artery of Percheron (AOP) is an uncommon variant of the posterior cerebral artery that supplies blood to the paramedian thalamus and rostral midbrain. AOP is often difficult to recognize with intracranial magnetic resonance angiography due to its small size. Although a number of case reports of AOP occlusion have been published, cause of the occlusion is mostly unclear. We experienced a case of AOP occlusion which resulted in bilateral thalamic infarction. It was most likely caused by a microembolism through right-left shunt.