title: Long term evaluation of brain perfusion with magnetic resonance in high flow extracranial-intracranial saphenous graft bypass.
abstract: Assessment was made of the cerebral vascular haemodynamic parameters in patients with a high-flow extra-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass performed for therapeutic occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Sixteen patients with ICA occlusion and EC-IC bypass (time interval from surgery 1-6 years) underwent MRI. Perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (PW-MRI) sequences were performed without the use of an arterial input function. The relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), mean transit time (MTT) and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were evaluated in all patients at the level of the basal ganglia, centrum semiovale and cortex in both hemispheres. Statistically significant differences (P<0.005) were observed in the haemodynamic parameters, indicating increased rCBV in the basal ganglia and decreased rCBF and rCBV in the cortex of the hemisphere supplied by the graft with respect to the contralateral. Patients with occlusion of the ICA and high flow EC-IC bypass do have altered vascular haemodynamic status between the hemispheres. In particular, rCBF is impaired in the surgical hemisphere at the level of the cortex. These patients should be followed-up to rule out chronic ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, II Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. alessandro.bozzao@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozzao
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fasoli
authors.forename: Vanina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Finocchi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Luigi Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fantozzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002548:Cerebral Revascularization; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors