A Rare Case of Idiopathic Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome

BACKGROUND Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is a rare disease that is classified as a condition of diffuse cerebral artery constriction. RCVS can be complicated with transient neurological deficits, seizures, ischemic strokes, and hemorrhagic strokes. A thunder-clap headache, described as being the worst headache a patient can experience, is the predominant symptom in RCVS, which contributes to why RCVS is underdiagnosed as an ischemic stroke or migraine. CASE REPORT In this case study, we present a healthy 34-year-old Black woman who presented to the Emergency Department 3 times over a period of 4 days with concerns of severe headaches. In her first Emergency Department visit, she had a normal computed tomography scan of the brain. Her third Emergency Department visit resulted in hospitalization due to seizures, and a computed tomography brain scan done then showed acute intracranial hemorrhaging. The patient ultimately received a diagnosis of RCVS during her hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS RCVS is the most notable mimicker of other similar-presenting vasculopathies, such as primary angiitis of the central nervous system and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. It is important to note that thunder-clap headache, as well as complications such as intracranial hemorrhaging and seizures, can arise not just from other diseases but from RCVS as well; hence, an early diagnosis is critical to avoid complications, especially if initial imaging is negative.