title: Isolated symptomatic stenosis of the middle cerebral artery in younger adults. A clinical and ultrasonic follow-up study of eight patients.
abstract: We studied 8 symptomatic patients aged 32-56 years with isolated stenosis of the middle cerebral artery who had TIAs or minor strokes. Angiography showed MCA stenosis in the M1 segment in 7 patients, and proximal M1 occlusion that later recanalized with persistent stenosis in 1 patient, without evidence of more widespread atherosclerotic disease. A potential cardiac source of embolism was detected in only 2 patients with mitral valve prolapse. During follow-up for 39-82 months, no further ischemic events occurred, and transcranial Doppler showed unchanged or decreased stenosis in 6 patients. We conclude that isolated MCA stenosis in younger patients may be a unique pathologic entity with a benign long-term course, although previous embolism with partial recanalization appears possible in some patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: V U
authors.initials: VU
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008945:Mitral Valve Prolapse / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial