# Superficial temporal artery aneurysm misdiagnosed in a patient with long-term migraine headache treatment: a case report

## TL;DR

A 60-year-old man was misdiagnosed with migraines for years before being correctly diagnosed with a rare superficial temporal artery aneurysm.

## Contribution

Highlights the importance of considering vascular causes in chronic headaches unresponsive to treatment.

## Key findings

- Superficial temporal artery aneurysm can mimic migraine symptoms and lead to misdiagnosis.
- Doppler ultrasound confirmed the aneurysm, and surgical removal resolved the issue.
- CT angiography and MRI are recommended for accurate diagnosis in similar cases.

## Abstract

Superficial temporal artery aneurysm is a rare vascular abnormality without specific clinical symptoms. In this case report, we present the case of a patient with superficial temporal artery aneurysm who was diagnosed with migraine headache at first.

A 60-year-old Iranian man with a previous history of headaches, who did not respond properly to the treatments following the initial diagnosis of migraine, presented with a painless lump in the left temporal region, and he was diagnosed with superficial temporal artery aneurysm via Doppler ultrasound. Finally, surgical removal of the left superficial temporal artery aneurysm was performed.

This case shows the importance of vascular causes in the approach to headache etiologies, especially when the headache is prolonged without proper responses to treatment. Computed tomography angiography and magnetic resonance angiography are appropriate diagnostic methods for aneurysm detection that should be considered in future studies.