title: Stroke occurrence and patterns are not influenced by the degree of stenosis in cervical artery dissection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In stroke attributable to spontaneous dissection of the cervical artery, it is unclear whether the occurrence and pattern of stroke depend on the degree of stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 147 consecutive dissection of the cervical artery patients with (n=88) and without stroke (n=59), we compared the number, volume, and patterns of cerebral diffusion-weighted imaging stroke lesions among patients with <70% stenosis (Group 1), ≥70% stenosis (Group 2), and occlusion (Group 3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence (26 of 45 in Group 1, 32 of 59 in Group 2, 30 of 43 in Group 3; P=0.27) and the number of diffusion-weighted imaging lesions (mean±SD [interquartile range], 3.5±3.9 [1-4] in Group 1; 4.2±4.1 [1-5] in Group 2; 3.3±4.0 [1-3] in Group 3; P=0.85) were independent of lumen patency, whereas volume of diffusion-weighted imaging lesions was larger in occlusive dissection of the cervical artery (82±90 mm [17-91] versus 34±54 [2-48]; P=0.03). There were no differences in the breakdown of diffusion-weighted imaging lesion patterns according to degree of stenosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The occurrence and diffusion-weighted imaging lesion patterns in dissection of the cervical artery patients may not be influenced by the degree of stenosis of the dissected artery. Occlusive dissection of the cervical artery was associated with larger infarcts.
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology, Hôpital Sainte-Anne, 1 rue Cabanis, 75014 Paris, France. o.naggara@ch-sainte-anne.fr
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Naggara
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Touzé
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mas
authors.forename: Jean-Francois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Meder
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oppenheim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*