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.