Intracranial Vessel Wall Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Current Techniques and Applications

Haur Wey Tan; Xiao Chen; Julian Maingard; Christen D Barras; Caitriona Logan; Vincent Thijs; Hong Kuan Kok; Michael J Lee; Ronil V Chandra; Mark Brooks; Hamed Asadi

doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2018.01.083

Intracranial Vessel Wall Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Current Techniques and Applications

World Neurosurg. 2018 Apr:112:186-198. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2018.01.083. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Authors

Haur Wey Tan¹, Xiao Chen², Julian Maingard³, Christen D Barras⁴, Caitriona Logan⁵, Vincent Thijs⁶, Hong Kuan Kok⁷, Michael J Lee⁸, Ronil V Chandra⁹, Mark Brooks¹⁰, Hamed Asadi¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: tanhaurwey@gmail.com.
² Department of Radiology, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
³ Department of Radiology, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Lysholm Department of Neuroradiology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom; The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁵ Department of Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
⁶ Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Department of Interventional Radiology, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
⁸ Department of Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Interventional Radiology Service, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
⁹ Interventional Neuroradiology Unit, Monash Imaging, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹⁰ Department of Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Department of Radiology, Interventional Neuroradiology Service, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹¹ Department of Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia.

PMID: 29360586
DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2018.01.083

Abstract

Vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (VW-MRI) is a modern imaging technique with expanding applications in the characterization of intracranial vessel wall pathology. VW-MRI provides added diagnostic capacity compared with conventional luminal imaging methods. This review explores the principles of VW-MRI and typical imaging features of various vessel wall pathologies, such as atherosclerosis, dissection, and vasculitis. Radiologists should be familiar with this important imaging technique, given its increasing use and future relevance to everyday practice.

Keywords: High resolution; Intracranial; Magnetic resonance imaging; Vessel wall.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Atherosclerosis / diagnostic imaging*
Brain / blood supply
Brain / diagnostic imaging*
Cerebral Arteries / diagnostic imaging*
Cerebral Veins / diagnostic imaging*
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Angiography / methods
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
Vasculitis / diagnostic imaging*