Evaluating Intracranial Atherosclerosis Rather Than Intracranial Stenosis

Evaluating intracranial atherosclerosis rather than intracranial stenosis.

Natural history of stenosis from intracranial atherosclerosis by serial angiography.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Knowledge of the natural history of stenoses due to intracranial atherosclerosis may be useful for evaluating possible treatments such as angioplasty. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed records over a 7-year period to identify patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses and serial angiograms. Quantitative measurements of stenoses were made in a blinded manner, ...

Diagnosis of Intracranial Stenosis

The diagnosis of intracranial stenosis has improved with the advent and availability of non-invasive vascular imaging tests. Vascular imaging modalities to consider include transcranial Doppler, magnetic resonance and computed tomographic angiography. While these have strengths and weaknesses, they provide anatomic information. Physiologic and/or hemodynamic data can be gleaned from perfusion i...

Intracranial atherosclerosis: current concepts.

The most relevant ideas discussed in this article are described here. Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) represents the most common cause of ischemic stroke worldwide. Its importance in whites may have been underestimated. New technical developments, such as high-resolution MRI, allow direct assessment of the intracranial atherosclerotic plaque, which may have a profound impact on ICAD...

Interventional Management of Intracranial Stenosis

Worldwide, intracranial atherosclerosis is the most common cause of ischemic stroke and is associated with a high risk of recurrence. Endovascular therapies including angioplasty and stent implantation may help in secondary stroke prevention due to intracranial stenosis, however rigorous appraisal of clinical efficacy is currently lacking. This review aims to introduce the basic concepts involv...