PURPOSE: The usefulness and radiographic findings of the angiography in cerebral infarction are well known. We attempted to evaluate the anglographic causes, findings, and the usefulness of DSA in cerebral infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed retrospectively DSA images of 51 patients who were diagnosed as having cerebral infarction by brain CT and/or MRI and clinical settings. DSA was performed in all 51 patients, and in 3 patients, conventional anglogram was also done. Both carotid DSA images were obtained in AP, lateral, oblique projections, and one or both vertebral DSA images in AP and lateral. The authors reviewed the patient's charts for symptoms, operative findings and final diagnosis, and analysed DSA findings of cerebral atherosclerosis with focus on 6 major cerebral arteries. RESULTS: Among the 51 patients of cerebral infarction 43 patients(84.3%) had cerebral atherosclerosis, 1 dissecting aneurysm, 1 moyamoya disease and 6 negative in anglogram. DSA findings of cerebral atherosclerosis were multiple narrowings in 42 patients(97,7%), tortuosity in 22(51.2%), dilatation in 14, occlusion in 12, avascular region in 8, collaterals in 7, ulcer in 6, and delayed washout of contrast media in 3. In cerebral atherosclerosis, internal carotid artery was involved in 37 patients(86.0%), middle cerebral artery in 29(67.4%), posterior cerebral artery in 28, anterior cerebral artery in 26, vertebral artery in 22, and basilar artery in 15. Intracranial involvement of cerebral atherosclerosis (64.9%) was more common than extracranial involvement(16.2%). CONCLUSION: In cerebral infarction MRA may be the screening test, but for more precise evaluation of vascular abnormality and its extent, DSA should be considered.
Aneurysm, Dissecting ; Angiography ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction* ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Basilar Artery ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mass Screening ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Moyamoya Disease ; Posterior Cerebral Artery ; Retrospective Studies ; Ulcer ; Vertebral Artery

3 cases of intracranial aneurismal residue following clipping at Viet Duc Hospital were studied. The causes of this condition were anatomical and technical. It is necessary to identified prior surgery the cause of hemorrhage, to limit the disruption of aneurism, to expose entirely the neck of aneurism before the setting of clip and to explore throughly the place of clip- Anterigraphy or systematic Xray control should be made for checking the results
Intracranial Aneurysm ; etiology ; Aneurysm ; Intracranial Arterial Diseases

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between changes in the posterior and anterior circulation, as seen at angiography, and the frequency and extent of cerebral infarction revealed by MR imaging in moyamoya disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved 34 patients (22 females and 12 males, aged 2-52years) in whom cerebral angiography revealed the presence of moyamoya disease (bilateral: unilateral=24:10; total hemispheres=58) and who also underwent brain MR imaging. To evaluate the angiographic findings, we applied each angiographic staging system to the anterior and posterior circulation. Leptomeningeal collateral circulation from the cortical branches of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) was also assigned one of four grades. At MR imaging, areas of cerebral cortical or subcortical infarction in the hemisphere were divided into six zones. White matter and basal ganglionic infarction, ventricular dilatation, cortical atrophy, and hemorrhagic lesions were also evaluated. To demonstrate the statistical significance of the relationship between the angiographic and the MR findings, both the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test for trend and the chi-square test were used. RESULTS: The degree of steno-occlusive PCA change correlated significantly with the internal carotid artery (ICA) stage (p<0.0001). As PCA stages advanced, the degree of leptomeningeal collaterals from the PCA decreased significantly (p<0.0001), but ICA stages were not significant (p>0.05). The prevalence of infarction showed significant correlation with the degree of steno-occlusive change in both the ICA and PCA. The degree of cerebral ischemia in moyamoya patients increased proportionally with the severity of PCA stenosis rather than with that of steno-occlusive lesions of the anterior circulation. Infarctions tended to be distributed in the anterior part of the hemisphere at PCA stage I or II , while in more advanced PCA lesions, they were also found posteriorly, especially in the territories of the posterior middle cerebral artery (MCA), the posterior border zone, and the PCA (p<0.0001). The frequency of infarctions in the territories of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and the anterior MCA was unrelated to the degree of steno-occlusive ICA and PCA lesions (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The degree of steno-occlusive lesions of the PCA correlated with the ICA stage. Progressive changes in steno-occlusive lesions of the ICA and PCA are associated with the extent and distribution of cerebral infarction. The degree of cerebral ischemia in moyamoya patients increased proportionally with the severity of PCA stenosis rather than with that of steno-occlusive lesions of the anterior circulation. In these patients, the presence of stenotic or occlusive PCA lesions appears to be significantly related to the occurrence of cerebral infarction.
Angiography ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Angiography ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Collateral Circulation ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Moyamoya Disease* ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Posterior Cerebral Artery ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) with vascular abnormalities, including aneurysms, have been reported frequently. However, the coexistence of AVM and unilateral moyamoya disease is rare. We report herein an AVM patient who presented with acute ischemic stroke with unilateral moyamoya disease and occlusion of the feeding artery. CASE REPORT: A-41-year old man was admitted with sudden dysarthria and facial palsy. Brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an acute infarction adjacent to a large AVM in the right frontal lobe. Cerebral angiography revealed occlusions of the proximal right middle cerebral and proximal anterior cerebral arteries, which were the main feeders of the AVM. Innumerable telangiectatic moyamoya-type vessels between branches of the anterior cerebral artery and dilated lenticulostriate arteries on the occluded middle cerebral artery were detected. However, a nidus of the AVM was still opacified through the distal right callosomarginal artery, which was supplied by the remaining anterior cerebral artery and leptomeningeal collaterals from the posterior cerebral artery. CONCLUSIONS: While AVM accompanied by unilateral moyamoya disease is rare, our case suggests an association between these two dissimilar vascular diseases.
Aneurysm ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Arteries ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Dysarthria ; Facial Paralysis ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Moyamoya Disease ; Stroke ; Vascular Diseases

We report a case of borderzone infarction which was developed after the coil embolization of unruptured internal carotid-posterior communicating artery aneurysm. Post-procedural angiography and brain computerized tomographic scan did not reveal any abnormality. However, brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) showed a wedge-shaped borderzone cerebral infarction between left middle cerebral artery and left anterior cerebral artery territory. It was suspected to be a manifestation of hypoperfusion in the internal carotid artery territory, caused by hemodynamic instability during the procedure. In order to prevent this unexpected serious complication, using the continuous hemodynamic monitoring during aneurysmal coil embolization, such as transcranial doppler ultrasonography, should be considered.
Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Arteries ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Infarction ; Embolization, Therapeutic* ; Hemodynamics* ; Infarction* ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial

BACKGROUND: In Korean patients, atherosclerotic lesions are more often found in the intracranial rather than in the extracra-nial cerebral arteries compared to Caucasian patients. However, extracranial carotid artery lesions are increasingly recognized in recent years. (recognized by who? Do you mean increasingly found in Korean patients ?) Although some studies have shown Asians to have more intracranial diseases, patients with intracranial stenosis often have extracranial disease. The aim of this investigation was to determine the frequency of combined intracranial atherosclerotic lesions in patients with extracranial carotid disease and to analyze the differences in stroke risk factors between patients with pure extracranial carotid artery disease and those who have combined extra- and intracranial artery disease. METHODS: We reviewed 100 consecutive patients with extracranial carotid artery stenosis (defined as > 30% narrowing of diameter) or occlusion proven by a conventional angiogra-phy. We investigated the distribution of atherosclerotic lesions on the angiography and compared risk factors for atherosclerosis between the pure extracranial carotid occlusive group and the combined extra- and intracranial artery occlusive group. RESULTS: Among 100 patients with extracranial carotid occlusive lesions, combined intracranial stenosis (>30% narrowing of diameter) or occlusion was seen in 67 patients. Multivariate analysis showed that diabetes mellitus was the only factor that was associated with the combined extra- and intracranial artery occlusive groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The combined extra- and intracranial atherosclerotic lesions was were frequently seen in Korean patients. Diabetes mellitus may play an important role in the devel-opment of intracranial atherosclerosis in patients who have combined extra- and intracranial occlusive disease.
Angiography ; Arteries ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Stenosis ; Cerebral Arterial Diseases ; Cerebral Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors* ; Stroke*

Two angiographic instances of anomalous external carotid artery (ECA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) anastomosis are described, each occurring at the C2-3 level and bearing remnants of proximal ICA. The ICA remnant of one patient (identifiable immediately upon bifurcation of the common carotid artery) was hypoplastic, and that of the other patient was an occluded arterial stump. These features are not typical of non-bifurcating ICA. The occipital artery originated from an anomalous connection in one instance and from the main trunk of the ECA (just past the ECA-ICA connection) in the other.
Adult ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases/radiography ; Carotid Artery, External/*abnormalities/radiography/surgery ; Carotid Artery, Internal/*abnormalities/radiography/surgery ; Cerebral Angiography ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm/*radiography/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between plasma fibrinogen level and cerebral infarction (CI) as well as the difference of fibrinogen among subtypes of CI.

METHODSA case-controlled study was conducted with 131 cases of CI and 148 controls. Plasma fibrinogen levels were detected by the Clauss method.

RESULTSHigh fibrinogen level (3.09 +/- 0.94 g/L) was correlated with CI (OR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.51-4.04, P < 0.005) at the onset stage of the disease. Persistent high fibrinogen level (3.14 +/- 0.81 g/L) at 6-month after stroke onset was detected and correlated with CI (OR = 4.34, 95% CI: 1.80-10.51, P = 0.001). Higher fibrinogen level was correlated with total anterior circulation infarction (TACI), partial anterior circulation infarction (PACI), and posterior circulation infarction (POCI) (OR = 4.008, P < 0.001). Higher fibrinogen level was correlated with extracranial atherosclerosis (OR = 3.220, P < 0.05, but not with intracranial atherosclerosis.

CONCLUSIONFibrinogen level may be a risk factor of CI and probably correlates with subtypes of CI and distributions of atherosclerosis.

Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; Brain Infarction ; blood ; classification ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; classification ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infarction, Anterior Cerebral Artery ; blood ; Infarction, Posterior Cerebral Artery ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVES: This study was to assess management outcome of patient undergoing decompressive craniectomy for space-occupying cerebral infarction refractory to medical treatment and to identify risk factors associated with unfavorable outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1999 and June 2004, total 20 patients were analyzed. The preoperative consciousness was rated using Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). The clinical outcome was rated using Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 3 months follow up and divided into 2 groups;favorable outcome group (GOS> or =3) and unfavorable outcome group (GOS<3). The prognostic factors were analyzed multivariately. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were men and six patients were women (mean age, 58.7 yrs). Seventeen patients had right hemispheric infarction, and three patients had left hemispheric infarction. 16 patients had only middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction, and 2 patients had combined anterior cerebral artery (ACA) or posterior cerebral artery (PCA) infarction respectively. Eleven patients showed anisocoria preoperatively. The mean time interval between symptom onset of infarction and operation was 61.5 hrs. 8 patients showed favorable outcome, and 12 patients showed unfavorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The existence of preoperative anisocoria and low preoperative GCS score were statistically significant prognostic factor related to unfavorable outcome.
Anisocoria ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Consciousness ; Decompressive Craniectomy* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Glasgow Outcome Scale ; Humans ; Infarction ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Posterior Cerebral Artery ; Risk Factors

A 50-year-old woman reported to the emergency department with thunderclap headache and vomiting. Non-enhanced brain computed tomography (CT) showed a subarachnoid hemorrhage of Hunt-Hess Grade II and Fisher Grade III. Brain angiography CT and transfemoral cerebral angiography (TFCA) revealed an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery. A direct neck clipping was performed using the pterional approach. The post-operation CT was uneventful. Six days postoperatively, the patient became lethargic. The mean velocity (cm/s) of the middle cerebral artery peaked at 173 cm/s on the right side and 167 cm/s on the left. A TFCA revealed decreased perfusion in both recurrent arteries of Heubner (RAH), but no occlusion in either. Intra-arterial nimodipine injection was administered. On the 7th postoperative day, CT demonstrated a newly developed low-density lesion in the RAH territory bilaterally. The cause of the infarction was attributed to decreased perfusion caused by cerebral vasospasm. The patient was discharged with no definite neurologic deficit except for mild cognitive disorder.
Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Arteries* ; Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Infarction, Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Middle Aged ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Neck ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Nimodipine ; Perfusion ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Vasospasm, Intracranial ; Vomiting