MAGNETIC-RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY (MRA) OF THE CIRCLE OF WILLIS - A PROSPECTIVE COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL ANGIOGRAPHY IN 54 SUBJECTS

Citation
B. Patrux et al., MAGNETIC-RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY (MRA) OF THE CIRCLE OF WILLIS - A PROSPECTIVE COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL ANGIOGRAPHY IN 54 SUBJECTS, Neuroradiology, 36(3), 1994, pp. 193-197
Citations number
18
Categorie Soggetti
Radiology,Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging",Neurosciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
00283940
Volume
36
Issue
3
Year of publication
1994
Pages
193 - 197
Database
ISI
SICI code
0028-3940(1994)36:3<193:MA(OTC>2.0.ZU;2-J
Abstract
We prospectively correlated the findings of magnetic resonance angiogr aphy (MRA) with those of transfemoral four-vessel angiography in 54 pa tients to investigate the direction of now within the circle of Willis . Our primary goal was to assess the direction of flow using the size of the vessel and signal intensity, without saturation techniques. Ana lysis of the circle of Willis, especially the communicating arteries, was performed double-blind by two groups of two radiologists. Three ty pes of arteries were identified: high now or cross-cerebral circulatio n, patent and nonvisualised arteries. Cerebral angiography was the sta ndard for comparison between the two methods. MRA did not reveal any a rteries invisible on angiography, thus providing a specificity of 100% . The sensitivity of MRA was 89.2% for the anterior and 81.3% for the posterior communicating arteries, and 100% for the anterior, middle an d posterior cerebral arteries. MRA was shown to be a useful technique for the assessment of patency of the circle of Willis.