A blood clot (thrombus) may form in the body, break-off, and travel to the brain through a carotid artery and the circle of Willis.
Reviewed last on: 9/16/2008
Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.