Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) findings of uni- or bilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis were compared with results of transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Eighteen patients with 22 MCA stenoses were selected by TCD criteria. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRA, TCD and DSA, criteria for classification of stenoses were established. MRA confirmed 21 MCA stenoses as revealed by TCD (n = 22). DSA did not demonstrate MCA stenoses in 6 cases diagnosed by TCD (classification grade I) and MRA. The classification of MCA stenoses by MRA correlated with TCD in 11 (50%) cases, while stenosis was underestimated by MRA in 3 (14%) and overestimated in 8 (36%) MCAs. Whereas the sensitivity of MRA for the detection of MCA stenoses compared to TCD and DSA findings was very high (100%), the correlation of the degree of stenosis by the three techniques was poor. This discordance is partly due to the insufficiency of routine DSA to reliably estimate the degree of stenosis since it delivers only one anterior-posterior projection plane. The combination of MRA and TCD is a noninvasive regime of high sensitivity to ensure the diagnosis of MCA stenosis and to estimate the severity of obstruction.

This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.