title: Three-dimensional time-of-flight MR-angiography and the surgical indication of brainstem cavernomas.
abstract: This study was designed to assess the diagnostic value of 3D time-of-flight MR-angiography in cerebral cavernomas. In seven patients, nine out of ten cavernomas were removed by microsurgery. While MR-angiography demonstrated well branches of brain arteries adjacent to the lesions, no flow signal in the vascular malformations was observed. On the other hand, there was a high intensity signal induced by methaemoglobin in those three patients with brainstem cavernomas who had experienced a significant bleeding attack seven months prior to admission. It had a spotted appearance in MR-angiography with volumes of the largest spots around 1.8 cm3. It is suggested that this spot signal could be used as a path marker for the surgical approach in brainstem cavernomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The University, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wowra
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Layer
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Schad
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ullrich
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Semmler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aschoff
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiessling
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunze
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged