Conventional MRI and MR angiography of stroke

Abstract

6.2.9 Conclusion: In the setting of acute stroke, MRA is useful for determining the severity of stenosis, vascular occlusion, and collateral flow. CE MRA and 3D TOF techniques have relatively high sensitivity and specificity in differentiating surgical from nonsurgical carotid stenoses. Three-dimensional TOF MRA is quite sensitive and specific for the evaluation of intracranial proximal stenoses and occlusions. Two-dimensional PC MRA is useful for determining collateral flow patterns in the circle of Willis. MRA is also useful in the determination of stroke etiologies such as dissection, fibromuscular dysplasia, vasculitis, and moya moya. Currently, MRA is relatively insensitive to the detection of stenoses in distal intracranial vessels but this detection will improve with new MR hardware and software. © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.