Intracranial vessel wall MRI to identify the culprit aneurysm in subarachnoid hemorrhage with multiple intracranial aneurysms

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm is a neurologic emergency with diagnostic and management challenges. While traditional imaging techniques such as CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography remain essential, they may be inconclusive at identifying the culprit aneurysm when multiple aneurysms are present.

We present a patient with SAH and four intracranial aneurysms identified on initial CT angiogram. MR vessel wall imaging (VW-MRI) played a pivotal role: it revealed focal wall enhancement in the basilar tip aneurysm, guiding successful targeted balloon assisted coiling.

This case illustrates the value of VW-MRI in identifying ruptured aneurysms by assessing wall abnormality rather than just lumen morphology. VW-MRI employs high-resolution, black-blood MR techniques to visualize vessel wall pathology. Our findings support integrating VWI into acute management algorithms when conventional imaging is inconclusive, potentially improving diagnostic accuracy and outcomes in patients with complex aneurysmal SAH presentations.