Vessel Wall MRI to Differentiate Between Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome and Central Nervous System Vasculitis
- 1 March 2012
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Stroke
- Vol. 43 (3), 860-862
- https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.111.626184
Abstract
Background and Purpose—: Prospective differentiation between reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome and central nervous system vasculitis can be challenging. We hypothesized that high-resolution vessel wall MRI would demonstrate arterial wall enhancement in central nervous system vasculitis but not in reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. Methods—: We identified all patients with multifocal segmental narrowing of large intracranial arteries who had high-resolution vessel wall MRI and follow-up angiography at our institute over a 4-year period and performed a detailed chart review. Results—: Three patients lacked arterial wall enhancement, and these all had reversal of arterial narrowing within 3 months. Four patients demonstrated arterial wall enhancement, and these had persistent or progressive arterial narrowing at a median follow-up of 17 months (range, 6–36 months) with final diagnoses of central nervous system vasculitis (3) and cocaine vasculopathy (1). Conclusions—: Preliminary results suggest that high-resolution contrast-enhanced vessel wall MRI may enable differentiation between reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome and central nervous system vasculitis.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- On MR Imaging of the Intracranial Vessel WallCanadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques, 2011
- Primary Angiitis of the Central Nervous SystemArchives of Neurology, 2009
- Intracranial arterial wall imaging using high-resolution 3-tesla contrast-enhanced MRINeurology, 2009
- Vessel Wall Contrast Enhancement: A Diagnostic Sign of Cerebral VasculitisCerebrovascular Diseases, 2008
- The clinical and radiological spectrum of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. A prospective series of 67 patientsBrain, 2007
- Narrative Review: Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction SyndromesAnnals of Internal Medicine, 2007
- Benign angiopathy of the central nervous system: Cohort of 16 patients with clinical course and long‐term followupArthritis Care & Research, 2002
- Arterial Wall Changes in Cerebral VasospasmNeurosurgery, 1989
- Isolated benign cerebral vasculitis or migrainous vasospasm?Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 1984
- Angiographic Manifestations in Cerebral Inflammatory DiseaseRadiology, 1971