- Jun-Beom Lee, MD*, Guk-Won Jung, MD†
- Departments of Neurology*, Radiology†, Hongik Hospital, Seoul, Korea
Bow hunter’s syndrome (BHS) is clinical manifestation of dynamic compromise of vertebral artery.
Dynamic imaging with provocative digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is a preferred modality but
non-invasive bed side screening tool for a dynamic compression of the vertebral artery is needed.A
56-year-old man developed cervicalgia and syncope while manipulating his neck. Cervical spine CT
and MR angiography demonstrated osteophyte with uncovertebral hypertrophy at left C5/6 level and
right vertebral artery hypoplasia. Transcranial doppler (TCD) sonography on midbasilar artery revealed
sudden disappearance of basilar flow while the patient moved his neck extended and left
twisted. The patient was instructed not to move his neck to provoking position and discharged without
any medication. This is a report of bedside, non-invasive and early approach of clinically suspected
BHS with TCD.
Journal of Neurosonology 6(1):16-19, 2014
Key Words: Bow hunter’s syndrome, Transcranial doppler sonography, Osteophyte, Vertebrobasilar
insufficiency