MOYAMOYA SYNDROME IN YOUNG-CHILDREN - MR COMPARISON WITH ADULT-ONSET

PURPOSE: To clarify whether there were any differences in MR appearanc e between the childhood and the adult moyamoya syndromes. METHOD: We c ompared the cranial MR findings in four children under the age of 6 wh o had moyamoya syndrome with previously documented adult cases. RESULT S: Moyamoya syndrome in younger children exhibited a significant incre ase in cortical and subcortical infarction, and a decreased incidence of deep white matter infarction in the centrum semiovale and basal gan glia, in contrast to adult cases. There were no remarkable differences between these two groups of moyamoya cases with regard to the occlusi ve changes of the internal carotid and middle cerebral arteries, or to the flow void sign on MR. CONCLUSION: These differences in the sites and frequencies of infarctions between the childhood and the adult moy amoya syndromes observed on MR might reflect differences in the cerebr al circulation.