Basilar artery occlusion in a case of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

This is a report of a case of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), with multiple infarcts in the territories of the basilar artery. He developed abrupt vomiting and transient left hemiparesis at the age of 4 years. The episodes were seen 3 times between 4-year-1-month to 5-year-1-month old. Transaxial computerized tomography (CT) revealed multiple, well-defined but irregularly marginated areas of low density centered in the mid- and upper pons, right cerebral peduncle and thalamus. A right vertebral angiogram illustrated the narrowed basilar artery. The rectus femoris muscle was biopsied at the age of 4-year-1-month which showed marked variation in fiber size, myonecrosis with phagocytosis, central nuclei, and adipose and connective tissue proliferation, which were consistent with those seen in DMD. It remains unknown whether the basilar artery occlusion was an incidental event in this particular case or closely related to the disease process of DMD.