Vessel wall MRI for suspected isolated basilar artery dissection

J Clin Neurosci. 2016 May:27:177-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2015.11.010. Epub 2016 Jan 4.

Abstract

Isolated basilar artery dissection is an uncommon intracranial vasculopathy with a poor prognosis. Digital subtraction angiography is considered the definitive modality for diagnosis. Vessel wall MRI (VW-MRI) is an emerging non-invasive technique for assessing the structural integrity of intracranial vessel walls and lumina. Recently, a small number of studies have described the vessel wall patterns of intracranial artery dissection. However, studies on vessel wall imaging of isolated basilar artery dissection remain limited. We describe a patient with suspected isolated spontaneous basilar artery dissection diagnosed using VW-MRI.

Keywords: Basilar dissection; Digital subtraction angiography; MRI; Vessel wall imaging.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Angiography, Digital Subtraction
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Aortic Dissection / drug therapy
  • Aortic Dissection / pathology*
  • Basilar Artery / pathology*
  • Functional Laterality
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / drug therapy
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / pathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Stroke / etiology
  • Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / drug therapy
  • Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / etiology
  • Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / pathology*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants