Giant mycotic aneurysm of the internal carotid artery in a child: endovascular treatment

We present a case of a giant mycotic aneurysm of the left internal carotid artery in a child, the result of direct extension of a deep neck space infection. This lesion is life threatening and may put the patient at risk of unwarranted biopsy or drainage if not recognized. Diagnosis and treatment planning rely heavily on cross-sectional imaging, and angiography is frequently necessary. This case is unique for two reasons: (1) we present for the first time the MRI findings and (2) we describe an alternative to surgical ligation -- neurointerventional embolotherapy. Minimally invasive transcatheter embolization was successfully performed on our patient to occlude the abnormal left internal carotid artery segment.