MR Angiography in Patients with Transient Ischemic Attack

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 17(1); 1999 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1999;17(1): 14-19.

일과성 뇌허혈발작 환자의 자기공명 혈관조영술 소견

영남대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실

MR Angiography in Patients with Transient Ischemic Attack

Se Jin Lee, M.D.

Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, 317-1, Daemyung Dong, Nam Gu, Taegu, 705-717, Korea Tel : +82-53-620-3683 Fax : +82-53-627-1688 E-mail : sjlee@medical.yeungnam.ac.kr

Abstract

Background : Several western studies have found an occurrence of abnormal angiographic findings in 60-80% of patients with carotid artery territory transient ischemic attack(below carotid TIA) and showed that the location of pathology was frequent in extracranial portion of carotid artery. No accurate studies have been accomplished in our country and some racial differences may exist. So we studied the angiographic findings in patients with carotid TIA. Methods : Thirty two patients with carotid TIA were included, but patients with non-atherosclerotic origin were excluded. MRI and MRA were checked simultaneously in all patients within 7 days after the last TIA. We evaluated the location, type and degree of the angiographic abnormalities and defined clinical factors related to the presence of vascular lesions. The criteria of significant abnormal findings were stenosis of more than 50%, ulceration or irregularity of carotid territory arteries contralateral to clinical symptoms. Results : Thirteen(40.6%) patients showed significant angiographic abnormalities related with the symptoms of TIA, and M1 portion of middle cerebral artery was the most frequent site, in 7 of 13 patients(53%). Patients with TIAs lasted less than 30 min.(P=0.011) and with TIAs occurred more than 4 times a day(P=0.029), had more frequent angiographic abnormalities. But there were no significant differences according to the presence of related acute cerebral infarction, gender and risk factors of stroke. Conclusions : In our study, the prevalence of angiographic abnormality and the location of vascular lesion were concordant with the Japanese studies but quite different with the western studies, and we suggest that this may be due to differences in dietary life and race. Key Words : Transient ischemic attack, TIA, Vascular stenosis, MR angiography.