MRA evaluation of cerebrovascular stenosis and its association with acute stroke in Indian patients

Abstract

Introduction: The detection of intracranial atherosclerotic disease has been elusive, possibly because of the dearth of non-invasive methods for diagnosing the condition. Material and Methods: In this study, we used time-of-flight MRA (TOF-MRA) to identify the presence, nature, and number of stenosis in the intra and extracranial arteries and anterior and posterior circulation systems in 60 Indian patients. Results: It was found that there is a strong association between the presence of stenosis and hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Intracranial stenosis was more prevalent in the > 60 years age group, and it maximally affected the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery. Comparatively, significant stenosis and total occlusion were predominant in the intracranial system; single stenosis was associated with the intracranial arteries, whereas multiple stenoses were observed in the extracranial system. Conclusion: Hemiparesis was the most common symptom of the patients. Thus, TOF-MRA can be used successfully to evaluate the occurrence, prognosis, and treatment options for cerebrovascular stenotic diseases.