Comparative Analysis between MRI and MRA Findings in Patients with Cerebral Infarction

Kim, Ah Young; Choi, Hye Young; Chung, Eun Chul; Kwag, Hyon Joo; Yun, Hee Ja; Lee, Sun Wha

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of utilizing magnetic resonance angiography(MRA) in patients with cerebral infarction by comparative analysis of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
MRI and MRA using 3D time-of-flight(TOF) technique with magnetization transfer and ramp(MTR) or 3D TOF with multiple overlapping thin slab acquisition(MOTSA) were performed in 39 patients with cerebral infarction. Vascular lesions detected on MRA were classified as "normal", "stenosis" and "occlusion", and the different infarction sites were named according to their vascular territory. Correlation between MRI and MRA findings was evaluated.
RESULTS
In 24(62%) of 39 cases, MRA showed stenosis or occlusion and 19(86%) of those corresponded to their vascular territory of infarction, as visualized on MRI. In 15(62.5%) of the 24 cases, MRA revealed additional diagnostic information such as visualization of unpredicted vascular lesions orthe presence of collateral circulations. Of the 15 cases diagnosed as normal according to MRA, most of the mactually had small infarctions of less than 2cm in maximal dimension in the area of the perforating arteries.
CONCLUSION
There was a strong correlation between the vascular lesion observed by MRA and the distribution of the infarct areas on MRI. Additional information was provided by MRA obtained together with conventional MRI.