Risk Factors of Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysm.

Definition and recruitment of cases The study will include patients (further referred to as cases) with unruptured MCA aneurysm diagnosed on three-dimensional computed tomography angiography (3D CTA). Case inclusion criteria * all patients with unruptured MCA aged between 18-75 years Case exclusion criteria * refusal to participate in the study * inability to give informed consent * presence of multiple cerebral aneurysms * presence of pathologies, other than MCA aneurysm, in the central nervous system that could have a potential effect on cerebral blood flow (e.g. ischemic stroke, intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage) * severe systemic disorders (e.g. neoplastic disease) * severe heart failure or multi-organ failure * hemodynamically significant internal carotid artery stenosis * pregnancy * family history of cerebral aneurysms. Definition and recruitment of controls The controls will be patients with no evidence of intracranial pathologies on 3D CTA, referred to establish the etiology of minor symptoms, such as headache or vertigo. Inclusion criteria for the controls * all patients aged between 18-75 years with no evidence of intracranial pathologies on 3D CTA Exclusion criteria for the controls * refusal to participate in the study * inability to give informed consent * presence of pathologies in the central nervous system that could have a potential effect on cerebral blood flow (e.g. ischemic stroke, intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage) * severe systemic di…