WALLENBERG SYNDROME IN A 50-YEAR-OLD WOMAN: CLINICAL REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH
Keywords:
Wallenberg syndrome; lateral medullary infarction; posterior stroke; magnetic resonance imaging; vertebral artery dissection; post-stroke dysphagiaAbstract
Background: Wallenberg syndrome (lateral medullary infarction) is a posterior circulation stroke syndrome that may mimic peripheral vestibular disorders, and non-contrast CT can miss early brainstem lesions. Case: We report a 50-year-old woman with sudden-onset vertigo, vomiting, dysphonia, and dysphagia with ipsilateral Horner syndrome and ataxia. A HINTS examination suggested a central cause. Diffusion-weighted MRI confirmed a left dorsolateral medullary infarction and CT angiography supported vertebral artery dissection. Conclusion: Diagnosis relies on careful brainstem semiology plus targeted imaging (MRI-DWI and vascular imaging). Early DWI can be false-negative in posterior circulation events; repeat imaging should be considered when clinical suspicion remains high.
Keywords: Wallenberg syndrome; lateral medullary infarction; posterior stroke; magnetic resonance imaging; vertebral artery dissection; post-stroke dysphagia.
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