PURPOSE To review the current state of the art and future development of intracranial vessel wall imaging. METHODS Recent literature review and expert opinion about intracranial arterial wall imaging. RESULTS Intracranial large artery diseases represent an important cause of stroke and vascular cognitive impairment worldwide. Our traditional understanding of intracranial large artery diseases is based on the observation of luminal narrowing or occlusion with angiographic or ultrasound techniques. Recently, novel imaging techniques have made the intracranial artery wall accessible for noninvasive visualization. The main advantage of vessel-wall imaging as compared to conventional imaging techniques for visualization of intracranial arteries is the ability to detect vessel wall changes even before they get to cause any significant luminal stenosis. This diagnostic capacity is provoking a revolutionary change in the way we see the intracranial circulation. In this article, we will review the current state of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography-based intracranial arterial wall imaging, focusing on technical considerations and their clinical applicability. Moreover, we will provide the readers with our vision on the future development of vessel-wall imaging techniques. CONCLUSION Intracranial arterial wall imaging methods are gaining increasing potential to impact the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cerebrovascular diseases.

中文翻译：

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颅内动脉壁成像：技术，临床适用性和未来展望。

目的回顾颅内血管壁成像的当前技术水平和未来发展。方法关于颅内动脉壁成像的最新文献综述和专家意见。结果颅内大动脉疾病是全世界范围内中风和血管性认知障碍的重要原因。我们对颅内大动脉疾病的传统理解是基于血管造影或超声技术对管腔变窄或闭塞的观察。近来，新颖的成像技术已经使颅内动脉壁可用于无创可视化。与传统的颅内动脉成像技术相比，血管壁成像的主要优势在于即使在血管壁改变引起明显的管腔狭窄之前，也能够检测到血管壁的改变。这种诊断能力正在激发我们观察颅内循环的方式的革命性变化。在本文中，我们将重点关注技术考虑因素及其临床适用性，以探讨磁共振成像和基于计算机断层扫描的颅内动脉壁成像的现状。此外，我们将为读者提供有关血管壁成像技术未来发展的愿景。结论颅内动脉壁成像方法正在越来越多地影响脑血管疾病患者的诊断和治疗。我们将回顾磁共振成像和基于计算机断层扫描的颅内动脉壁成像的当前状态，重点是技术方面的考虑因素及其临床适用性。此外，我们将为读者提供有关血管壁成像技术未来发展的愿景。结论颅内动脉壁成像方法正在越来越多地影响脑血管疾病患者的诊断和治疗。我们将回顾磁共振成像和基于计算机断层扫描的颅内动脉壁成像的当前状态，重点是技术方面的考虑因素及其临床适用性。此外，我们将为读者提供有关血管壁成像技术未来发展的愿景。结论颅内动脉壁成像方法正在越来越多地影响脑血管疾病患者的诊断和治疗。