Correlation of angiography and MR imaging in cerebral vasculitis.
OBJECTIVE
MR imaging and cerebral angiography were correlated in patients with primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) to assess the relative roles of these imaging modalities in the diagnosis.


METHODS
In 9 patients, MR imaging and angiography were compared with regard to the relative involvement of each major vascular territory. Vascular territories assessed were the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries, and the posterior fossa.


RESULTS
All patients had angiographic findings consistent with vasculitis in multiple vascular territories. MR findings ranged from normal to diffusely abnormal. One patient had a completely normal MR investigation. Of 50 territories affected by vasculitis on angiography, 17 (34%) were normal on MR.


CONCLUSIONS
Relative to cerebral angiography, MR imaging is a poor indicator of the presence or absence of PACNS. Angiography is indicated when clinical suspicion of PACNS is strong, regardless of the findings on MR.
Cloft
H J
HJ
Department of Radiology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908, USA.
Phillips
C D
CD
Dix
J E
JE
McNulty
B C
BC
Zagardo
M T
MT
Kallmes
D F
DF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002539:Cerebral Arterial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000175:diagnosis*