Biomaterial Database

Monozygotic twins not identical with respect to the existence of intracranial aneurysms: a case report. 1994

M J Puchner, and F Lohmann, and J M Valdueza, and G Siepmann, and N Freckmann

Department of Neurosurgery, University of Hamburg, Germany.

The hypothesis that intracranial aneurysms are inherited is based on published accounts of aneurysms occurring in two or more members of the same family. This hypothesis has been strongly supported by rare cases of intracranial aneurysms in pairs of identical twins. Seven such pairs have been reported to date. In all pairs, both twins had intracranial aneurysms, most of them located at the same site. Only rarely did they appear at exact contralateral locations. In five pairs, both twins suffered from a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In one case, the asymptomatic twin underwent angiography and was treated before an SAH occurred. We now present the first pair of identical twins. One twin had an SAH and two intracranial aneurysms. The other was asymptomatic and showed no aneurysms with either three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography or intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography. Based on epidemiologic data, we assume that there must be many unreported cases of identical twins with at least one twin suffering from SAH. Our case indicates that the trait of intracranial aneurysms is not inherited with complete penetrance, which might otherwise be assumed on the basis of all other accounts previously described in the literature. However, as long as the exact means of inheritance of intracranial aneurysms is not understood, we still recommend an angiographic examination of the asymptomatic identical twin in cases where the other sibling had already suffered from an aneurysmal SAH.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D002532	Intracranial Aneurysm	Abnormal outpouching in the wall of intracranial blood vessels. Most common are the saccular (berry) aneurysms located at branch points in CIRCLE OF WILLIS at the base of the brain. Vessel rupture results in SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE or INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGES. Giant aneurysms (>2.5 cm in diameter) may compress adjacent structures, including the OCULOMOTOR NERVE. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p841)	Aneurysm, Cerebral,Aneurysm, Intracranial,Basilar Artery Aneurysm,Berry Aneurysm,Brain Aneurysm,Cerebral Aneurysm,Giant Intracranial Aneurysm,Mycotic Aneurysm, Intracranial,Aneurysm, Anterior Cerebral Artery,Aneurysm, Anterior Communicating Artery,Aneurysm, Basilar Artery,Aneurysm, Middle Cerebral Artery,Aneurysm, Posterior Cerebral Artery,Aneurysm, Posterior Communicating Artery,Anterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysm,Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm,Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysm,Posterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysm,Posterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm,Aneurysm, Berry,Aneurysm, Brain,Aneurysm, Giant Intracranial,Aneurysm, Intracranial Mycotic,Aneurysms, Basilar Artery,Aneurysms, Berry,Aneurysms, Brain,Aneurysms, Cerebral,Aneurysms, Giant Intracranial,Aneurysms, Intracranial,Aneurysms, Intracranial Mycotic,Artery Aneurysm, Basilar,Artery Aneurysms, Basilar,Basilar Artery Aneurysms,Berry Aneurysms,Brain Aneurysms,Cerebral Aneurysms,Giant Intracranial Aneurysms,Intracranial Aneurysm, Giant,Intracranial Aneurysms,Intracranial Aneurysms, Giant,Intracranial Mycotic Aneurysm,Intracranial Mycotic Aneurysms,Mycotic Aneurysms, Intracranial
D004200	Diseases in Twins	Disorders affecting TWINS, one or both, at any age.	Diseases in Twin,Twin, Diseases in,Twins, Diseases in,in Twin, Diseases,in Twins, Diseases
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D013345	Subarachnoid Hemorrhage	Bleeding into the intracranial or spinal SUBARACHNOID SPACE, most resulting from INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSM rupture. It can occur after traumatic injuries (SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE, TRAUMATIC). Clinical features include HEADACHE; NAUSEA; VOMITING, nuchal rigidity, variable neurological deficits and reduced mental status.	Hemorrhage, Subarachnoid,Perinatal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Aneurysmal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Spontaneous,SAH (Subarachnoid Hemorrhage),Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Intracranial,Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Hemorrhage, Aneurysmal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Intracranial Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Perinatal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Spontaneous Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Aneurysmal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Intracranial Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Perinatal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Spontaneous Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Subarachnoid,Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Perinatal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,SAHs (Subarachnoid Hemorrhage),Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Perinatal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Aneurysmal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Intracranial,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Perinatal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Spontaneous
D014430	Twins, Monozygotic	Two off-spring from the same PREGNANCY. They are from a single fertilized OVUM that split into two EMBRYOS. Such twins are usually genetically identical and of the same sex.	Twins, Identical,Identical Twin,Identical Twins,Monozygotic Twin,Monozygotic Twins,Twin, Identical,Twin, Monozygotic