[Arterial thoracic outlet syndrome and diagnostic angioresonance]

The anatomy of the upper cervical region, in the presence of structural anomalies favours the compression of the brachial plexus and/or subclavian vessels, giving rise to the thoracic inlet syndrome (SATS). Neurological involvement is more common than vascular involvement (95 and 5% respectively); the latter is known as the arterial SATS. The forms of clinical presentation of arterial SATS are very variable and have different prognoses: it may present as acute distal ischaemia with a variable course, peripheral embolism or as a non-serious condition such as Raynaud's phenomenon.

We present a case with arterial involvement only, associated with a clavicular osteophyte, in a patient with episodes of acute, transient weakness of the arm which were initially thought to be transient strokes with brachial monoparesis.

Classically, the basic examination to diagnose arterial SATS has been conventional angiography, an invasive test which is not without complications; in our case it was magnetic angioresonance which showed changes in blood flow on forced arm movement. This avoided having to do a conventional angiogram. Angioresonance, rarely cited in this syndrome, is worthy of study and comparison with the 'standard' diagnostic method of conventional angiography.