Poststenotic signal attenuation on 3D phase-contrast MR angiography: a useful finding in haemodynamically significant carotid artery stenosis.
We performed blinded visual evaluation of MR angiography (MRA) films in 44 patients with unilateral carotid artery stenosis to determine whether a flow gap and poststenotic signal attenuation on 3D-PC MRA were useful signs of severe carotid artery stenosis. Although nine patients with a flow gap alone had various degrees of stenosis ranging from 22.2 to 77.3% without any decrease in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), 13 patients with both a flow gap and poststenotic signal attenuation had severe stenoses of 80% or more, with a definite decrease in baseline rCBF. The presence of both a flow gap and poststenotic signal attenuation on 3D-PC MRA appeared to be a reliable marker of severe carotid artery stenosis with a decrease in rCBF.
Iseda
T
T
Departments of Neurosurgery, Junwakai Memorial Hospital and Miyazaki Medical College, Miyazaki, Japan. tiseda@fc.miyazaki-med.ac.jp
Nakano
S
S
Miyahara
D
D
Uchinokura
S
S
Goya
T
T
Wakisaka
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity