Fig. 1

Low-grade blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) (grade I and II lesions according to the Biffl classification). a A 42-year-old man who had suffered a motorcycle accident. The axial MPR image (3-mm thickness) shows a slight irregularity in the posterior wall of the left internal carotid artery (arrow) responsible of a calibre reduction <25 % (grade I lesion). No clinical-radiological risk factors for BCVI were present. The man did not undergo anti-aggregation because of the presence of severe abdominal injuries and developed an infarction in the territory of the left median cerebral artery. b An 83-year-old woman struck by a car. The axial MPR image (3-mm thickness) shows an eccentric calibre reduction of the left vertebral artery (arrow) >25 % (grade 2 lesion). Cervical spine fractures, including a fracture of the spinous process of C3 (arrowhead) were present. The vertebral artery lesion had not been described on the radiological report and, therefore, no therapy had been administered. The woman developed a cerebellar infarction. c, d A 34-year-old man who had suffered a motorcycle accident. The axial MIP reconstruction (c) (3-mm thickness) shows a lumen wall irregularity of the right internal carotid artery (arrow) responsible of a calibre reduction >25 % (grade II lesion); the lesion is better depicted on the sagittal MIP reconstruction d (5-mm thickness). No clinical-radiological risk factors for BCVI were present. The men underwent anti-aggregation and no neurological deficit occurred