Rupture of intracranial aneurysm during computerized tomography.

A computerized tomographic (CT) scan was performed on a patient with a suspected paraseller mass. Coincident with contrast injection, an unusual and distinctive "starburst" pattern appeared in the right parasellar region and was associated with sudden deterioration in the patient's condition. Subsequent CT and necropsy confirmed a ruptured aneurysm at the suspected site with a large subarachnoid hemorrhage. To our knowledge, this unusual CT picture of a rupturing intracranial aneurysm has not been previously illustrated.