Cerebral embolic disease: a complication of carotid aneurysms

Thrombus formation in large aneurysms is well recognized. However, thrombi in small aneurysms with subsequent embolization into intracranial vessels is infrequently identified or suspected. A series of cases in which this phenomenon has occurred is documented. Since many of these examples present embolic disease without suspicion of aneurysm, definitive diagnosis can only be accomplished by angiography. The importance of this study should be emphasized since embolic disease is usually assessed only by computed tomography which fails to delineate the embolic source.