Background Intracranial vessel wall imaging can detect non-stenotic lesions with further characterization of stenotic lesions that have already been detected with common angiographic methods. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the intracranial vessel wall can describe the presence of both large and small atherosclerotic lesions and to characterize the lesions based on enhancement, plaque content, and vulnerability Objectives To assess suspicious lesions detected by magnetic resonance angiography for further evaluation by vessel wall MRI. Methods A total of sixteen ischemic stroke patients within 2 weeks from onset were recruited to this cross-sectional study. Magnetic resonance angiography was done to document intracranial arterial stenosis. Further high-field MR unit (3 Tesla MRI Scanner) was used to obtain vessel wall MR sequences (T1 pre-post contrast and T2 fat sat) to differentiate between intracranial atherosclerotic plaque, vasculitis, and moyamoya disease and to assess atherosclerotic plaque activity (vulnerability) Results Vessel wall MR imaging showed arterial wall thickening with irregular inner margin and eccentric enhancement in cases of intracranial atherosclerosis, where as in case of CNS vasculitis, it showed circumferential wall enhancement with regular smooth inner margin. In cases of moyamoya disease, the vessel wall MR showed a narrowing of the luminal artery without post-contrast enhancement of the wall, no hemorrhagic nor fatty content. Conclusion Vessel wall MR imaging is recommended for stroke patients with suspected intracranial large vessel atherosclerosis seen in MRA to assess atherosclerotic plaque activity and characterization of stenotic lesions

中文翻译：

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血管壁磁共振成像在脑血管疾病诊断中的价值

背景 颅内血管壁成像可以检测非狭窄病变，进一步表征已经用常见血管造影方法检测到的狭窄病变。颅内血管壁的磁共振成像 (MRI) 可以描述大动脉粥样硬化病变和小动脉粥样硬化病变的存在，并根据增强、斑块含量和易损性来表征病变 目的 评估磁共振血管造影检测到的可疑病变，以便通过血管壁 MRI。方法 本横断面研究招募了 16 名发病 2 周内的缺血性卒中患者。进行磁共振血管造影以记录颅内动脉狭窄。进一步使用高场 MR 单元（3 Tesla MRI Scanner）获取血管壁 MR 序列（T1 前后对比和 T2 脂肪饱和度）以区分颅内动脉粥样硬化斑块、血管炎和烟雾病，并评估动脉粥样硬化斑块的活动。脆弱性）结果血管壁磁共振成像显示动脉壁增厚，内缘不规则，在颅内动脉粥样硬化的情况下偏心强化，而在中枢神经系统血管炎的情况下，血管壁增厚，内缘规则光滑。在烟雾病的病例中，血管壁 MR 显示管腔动脉变窄，血管壁无造影后增强，无出血或脂肪含量。