Musical murmurs on transcranial ultrasound in childhood migraine with aura

Neurology. 2013 Nov 19;81(21):1880. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000436064.90018.48.

Abstract

A 12-year-old girl presented with headache, nausea, decreased level of consciousness, and diplopia. Brain MRI, arteriography (figure e-1 on the Neurology® Web site at www.neurology.org), vasculitic markers, and CSF were normal, as were EEGs and ECGs. Transcranial color-coded ultrasonography of the basilar artery revealed typical musical murmurs ("seagull cry") indicative of a hemodynamically significant stenosis (video).(1) Sumatriptan provided symptomatic relief; basilar flow normalized on ultrasonography (figure e-2). The clinical presentation suggested childhood migraine with aura; the ultrasound and normal arteriography suggested focal, transient vasospasm during a migraine attack. Topiramate was effective long-term. The high prevalence of childhood migraine (up to >20%)(2) suggests that ultrasound may be a useful diagnostic tool.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
  • Basilar Artery / diagnostic imaging*
  • Basilar Artery / drug effects
  • Basilar Artery / physiopathology
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Child
  • Echoencephalography
  • Female
  • Fructose / analogs & derivatives
  • Fructose / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Migraine with Aura / diagnostic imaging*
  • Migraine with Aura / drug therapy
  • Migraine with Aura / physiopathology
  • Sumatriptan / therapeutic use
  • Topiramate
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vasoconstrictor Agents / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Vasoconstrictor Agents
  • Topiramate
  • Fructose
  • Sumatriptan