[Evaluation on major cerebral arterial stenotic lesions with three-dimensional magnetic resonance cisternograms and...

To evaluate major cerebral arterial stenotic lesions within a cisternal space, the outer wall contours of the arteries were depicted on three-dimensional (3D) MR cisternograms. The 3D MR cisternograms were reconstructed by perspective volume-rendering algorithm from the source volume data obtained from the T2-weighted 3D fast spin-echo sequence. Those images were compared with coordinated 3D MR angiograms, and then with 3D CT angiograms through the similar visual projections. The presence of stenotic lesions was indicated by the morphological discrepancy between the outer wall configuration of the itracisternal stenotic artery depicted on the 3D MR cisternograms and the intraluminal boundary shown on the 3D CT angiograms. With application of these techniques, spatial expansion of the stenotic lesions was able to be visualized. In this way, clinical 3D evaluation of the therapeutic effect on and follow-up of intracisternal major cerebral arterial stenotic lesions would be possible in patients with acute ischemic stroke.