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Updated: May 17, 2026

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
Migraine with aura associated with unilateral cortical increase in vascular permeability
D L Rotstein1, R I Aviv, B J Murray
1Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Canada.
Background:
Few studies to date have captured perfusion and vascular permeability changes during a migraineur's aura. This may be important information to the clinician in the context of the differential diagnosis of migraine with aura versus acute stroke.
Summary:
We report a case in which magnetic resonance perfusion during a migraine aura showed unilateral hypoperfusion differentially affecting gray and white matter and was associated with a hemispheric increase in permeability.
Conclusions:
Imaging in this case suggests that migraine aura is associated with oligemia below the threshold for infarction. Increased vascular permeability may be a critical mechanism contributing to perfusion changes observed in migraine with aura.
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