Migraine with aura-like headache associated with moyamoya disease

A 49-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of severe headache. She had a 10-month history of migraine with aura-like headache that occurred every 7 to 10 days and was preceded by photopsia. Brain CT showed cerebral infarction of the left occipital lobe. Bilateral carotid angiograms showed vascular occlusions in the supraclinoid portion of the bilateral internal carotid arteries with telangiectatic vessels acting as collateral channels to the occluded distal carotid arteries, which were consistent with the diagnosis of moyamoya disease. Headache resolved gradually and has never developed again after the infarct of the left occipital lobe. Pathophysiological mechanisms of migraine-like headache were discussed. We conclude that borderline perfusion of occipital lobe cortex could be a trigger for the development of migraine with aura-like headache in susceptible patients. In the case of atypical attack of migraine detailed investigation should be done to detect underlying vascular diseases such as moyamoya disease.