title: Distribution and natural course of intracranial vessel wall lesions in patients with ischemic stroke or TIA at 7.0 Tesla MRI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies using intracranial vessel wall MRI techniques showed that over 50 % of patients with ischemic stroke or TIA had one or more intracranial vessel wall lesions. In the current study, we assessed the preferential location of these lesions within the intracranial arterial tree and their potential changes over time in these patient groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine patients with ischemic stroke (n = 25) or TIA (n = 24) of the anterior cerebral circulation underwent 7.0 T MRI, including a T1-weighted magnetization-preparation inversion recovery turbo-spin-echo (MPIR-TSE) sequence within one week and approximately one month after symptom onset. Intracranial vessel wall lesions were scored for multiple locations within the arterial tree and differences between one-week and one-month images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, 132 intracranial vessel wall lesions were found in 41 patients (84 %), located primarily in the anterior cerebral circulation (74 %), with a preferential location in the distal internal carotid artery and M1 and M2 segments of the middle cerebral artery. During follow-up, presence or enhancement patterns changed in 14 lesions (17 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large burden of intracranial vessel wall lesions was found in both the anterior and posterior cerebral circulation. Most lesions were found to be relatively stable, possibly indicating a more generalized atherosclerotic process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Intracranial vessel wall lesions are present in patients with varying cerebrovascular diseases. • Intracranial vessel wall 7.0 T MRI provides information on preferential location and natural course. • Distal ICA and M1 and M2 segments of MCA are predilection sites. • 83 % of lesions found remained stable, possibly indicating more generalized atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands, A.G.vanderKolk@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Anja G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: van der Kolk
authors.forename: Jaco J M
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zwanenburg
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brundel
authors.forename: Geert Jan
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Biessels
authors.forename: Fredy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Luijten
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hendrikse
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000473:pathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000473:pathology*