Magnetic resonance angiography in evaluation of acute intracranial steno-occlusive arterial disease

ObjectivesAssessment of the diagnostic usefulness of MRA in evaluation of patients with acute intra cranial steno-occlusive arterial disease.Patients and methods84 patients with acute intracranial steno-occlusive arterial disease were subjected to the following brain MRI protocol: Axials DWI, T1WI, T2WI, FLAIR, T2∗ Gradient Echo Imaging and 3D TOF MRA.ResultsEighty four patients (M/F = 49/35) aged between 28 and 86 years. MRA findings of arterial segments correlated with location of the ischemic lesions described by different MRI sequences including the DWI in all cases (100%). MRA of the intracranial vessels revealed 60 arterial segments with occlusions/absent flow. Occlusions were most common in MCAs (n = 45) followed by PCAs (n = 9). 31 arterial segments with stenosis were seen, and they were mainly affecting arterial territories of PCAs (n = 16). Atheromatous plaques were identified at the Lt. ICA in 3 cases and in Rt. ICA in 2 cases, absent A1 segment of Rt. ACA (n = 12), absent A1 segment of Lt. ACA (n = 2), dominant Rt. VA (n = 6), dominant Lt. VA (n = 4) and Dolichoectasia of BA (n = 4).ConclusionsMRA provides early detailed diagnosis of occlusive intracranial arterial disease through detection of exact site of arterial affection.