MR-ANGIOGRAPHY OF MENINGIOMA

The clinical evaluation of three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiogr aphy was prospectively performed in 16 patients with intracranial meni ngioma. MR angiographic techniques used in this study both with and wi thout gadopentetate dimeglumine made it possible to demonstrate the to pographic relationship between the tumors and the neighboring vascular structures. MR angiograms were compared with available conventional a ngiograms. The three-dimensional enhanced MR angiograms were successfu l in depicting sinus involvement in greater detail in six patients tha n conventional angiography. In six patients, the feeding arteries of m eningiomas were demonstrated with the unenhanced MR angiograms. Howeve r, MR angiograms failed to show small feeding arteries in three patien ts as delineated with conventional angiography. Arterial displacement was shown in nine patients. Venous drainage and collateral circulation s were also visualized in four patients. Our results indicate that mul tiview MR angiograms noninvasively provide useful information for plan ning the surgical treatment of patients with meningioma.