Dominant ipsilateral posterior cerebral artery on magnetic resonance angiography in acute ischemic stroke.
BACKGROUND
In acute infarction involving the anterior circulation, the ipsilateral posterior cerebral artery (PCA) often appears to be longer than the contralateral PCA on magnetic resonance angiography. We described this finding as dominant ipsilateral PCA (DIPCA). We sought to find the frequency of DIPCA and its predictors.


METHODS
We recruited 164 consecutive individuals with acute infarct involving the anterior circulation, and analyzed their radiological and clinical features.


RESULTS
DIPCA was noted in 27 patients (16.5%). It was more frequent in patients with than in patients without steno-occlusive disease of the ipsilateral anterior circulation (30.5 vs. 2.4%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed a significant relationship between the severity of arterial lesions in the ipsilateral anterior circulation and DIPCA (p = 0.039).


CONCLUSIONS
DIPCA may reflect increased leptomeningeal collateral flow via the ipsilateral PCA, and its development may be dependent on the stenotic anterior circulation.
Lee
Ju-Hun
JH
Department of Neurology, Hallym University, College of Medicine, Anyang City 431-070, South Korea.
Han
Sun-Jung
SJ
Kang
Woo-Youl
WY
Lee
Ki Hyeong
KH
Yu
Kyung-Ho
KH
Song
Hong-Ki
HK
Lee
Byung-Chul
BC
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D020243:Infarction, Anterior Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008578:Meninges / Q000098:blood supply; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020769:Posterior Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index