Intracranial vascular stenosis and occlusion: diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional, Fourier transform, time-of-flight MR angiography

• Published in: Radiology Vol. 193; no. 1; p. 187
• Main Authors: Korogi, Y, Takahashi, M, Mabuchi, N, Miki, H, Shiga, H, Watabe, T, O'Uchi, T, Nakagawa, T, Horikawa, Y, Fujiwara, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-10-1994
• Subjects: Algorithms; Carotid Artery, Internal - pathology; Carotid Stenosis - diagnosis; Carotid Stenosis - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Stenosis - epidemiology; Cerebral Angiography; Cerebral Arterial Diseases - diagnosis; Cerebral Arterial Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Cerebral Arterial Diseases - epidemiology; Cerebral Arteries - pathology; Female; Fourier Analysis; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Middle Aged; Observer Variation; Retrospective Studies; ROC Curve; Sensitivity and Specificity
• ISSN: 0033-8419
• DOI: 10.1148/radiology.193.1.8090890

To assess the accuracy of three-dimensional, Fourier transform, time-of-flight magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in the detection of intracranial steno-occlusive diseases.
One hundred thirty-one patients (62 male and 69 female patients, aged 6-77 years [mean, 53 years 8 months]) underwent MR and conventional angiography for evaluation of possible intracranial vascular disease. A total of 502 arteries were assessed. Eight projections and a collapsed image postprocessed by means of a maximum-intensity projection algorithm were reviewed by five observers in a blinded manner, with conventional angiography as the standard.
A total of 32 steno-occlusive lesions were available for review. Receiver operating characteristic analysis from the pooled data revealed overall sensitivities of 85% and 88% and specificities of 96% and 97% for the internal carotid artery and the middle cerebral artery, respectively.
MR angiography is useful as the primary diagnostic tool for evaluating suspected intracranial steno-occlusive disease.