MAGNETIC-RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH BRAIN INFARCTION

This study evaluated the role of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in detecting extra-or intracranial vascular disease in 118 patients wi th brain infarction and the accuracy of MRA diagnosis when compared wi th conventional angiography in patients who had both investigations. M agnetic resonance angiography ruled out extra-and intracranial large v essel disease in 36% of the patients. MRA also demonstrated extra-or i ntracranial disease in 56% (probably symptomatic in 31, possibly sympt omatic in 18, and asymptomatic in 17 patients), and provided no inform ation in 8% of the 118 patients. Among the 176 major vessels visualize d by both MRA and conventional angiography, conventional angiography c onfirmed the presence of 9/10 extracranial and 32/40 intracranial larg e vessel abnormalities detected on MRA. There were two false-negative findings on MRA: occlusion of a distal branch of middle cerebral arter y, and an asymptomatic posterior cerebral artery stenosis. Magnetic re sonance angiography is a clinically useful method for screening extra- and intracranial disease in patients with brain infarction and selecti ng high-yield patients for conventional angiography.