Comparison of High-Resolution MR Imaging and Digital Subtraction Angiography for the Characterization and Diagnosis of Intracranial Artery Disease

• Published in: American journal of neuroradiology : AJNR Vol. 37; no. 12; pp. 2245 - 2250
• Main Authors: Lee, N J, Chung, M S, Jung, S C, Kim, H S, Choi, C-G, Kim, S J, Lee, D H, Suh, D C, Kwon, S U, Kang, D-W, Kim, J S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society of Neuroradiology 01-12-2016
• Subjects: Adult; Adult Brain; Aged; Angiography, Digital Subtraction - methods; Fellows' Journal Club; Female; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Intracranial Arterial Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Magnetic Resonance Angiography - methods; Male; Middle Aged; Neuroimaging - methods
• ISSN: 0195-6108; 1936-959X
• DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A4950

High-resolution MR imaging has recently been introduced as a promising diagnostic modality in intracranial artery disease. Our aim was to compare high-resolution MR imaging with digital subtraction angiography for the characterization and diagnosis of various intracranial artery diseases.
Thirty-seven patients who had undergone both high-resolution MR imaging and DSA for intracranial artery disease were enrolled in our study (August 2011 to April 2014). The time interval between the high-resolution MR imaging and DSA was within 1 month. The degree of stenosis and the minimal luminal diameter were independently measured by 2 observers in both DSA and high-resolution MR imaging, and the results were compared. Two observers independently diagnosed intracranial artery diseases on DSA and high-resolution MR imaging. The time interval between the diagnoses on DSA and high-resolution MR imaging was 2 weeks. Interobserver diagnostic agreement for each technique and intermodality diagnostic agreement for each observer were acquired.
High-resolution MR imaging showed moderate-to-excellent agreement (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.892-0.949; κ = 0.548-0.614) and significant correlations (R = 0.766-892) with DSA on the degree of stenosis and minimal luminal diameter. The interobserver diagnostic agreement was good for DSA (κ = 0.643) and excellent for high-resolution MR imaging (κ = 0.818). The intermodality diagnostic agreement was good (κ = 0.704) for observer 1 and moderate (κ = 0.579) for observer 2, respectively.
High-resolution MR imaging may be an imaging method comparable with DSA for the characterization and diagnosis of various intracranial artery diseases.