MR-angiography in vasculitis and benign angiopathy of the central nervous system.

Purpose: To evaluate TOF 3D magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the int racranial arteries in patients with vasculitis or vasculitis-like benign an giopathy of the central nervous system (CNS). Method: The results of MRA in 20 patients with clinically and radiographically proven vasculitis (17/20) or vasculitis-like benign angiopathy (3/20) of the CNS were retrospectivel y analysed, Patients with hyperintense lesions of more than 3 mm on T-2-wei ghted MRI images were included in this trial. An inflammatory, embolic, neu rodegenerative or metastatic origin of these lesions was excluded by extens ive clinical studies. For the MR-examination a TOF 3D FISP sequence was use d on a 1.5T imager. Results: MRA showed characteristic changes for vasculit is or angiopathy in 15 of 20 patients (75 %). Conclusions: In patients susp ected of having a vasculitis or vasculitis-like angiopathy, MRA is recommen ded as a non-invasive modality. If the results of MRI and extensive clinica l studies are carefully correlated, MRA may substitute conventional angiogr aphy in cases with typical vascular changes.