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Updated: May 25, 2026

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Published on: April 23, 2021
Cerebral microbleeds in patients with moyamoya-like vessels secondary to atherosclerosis
Makiko Tanaka1, Manabu Sakaguchi, Kaori Miwa
1Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. mrai@medone.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Objective:
Hemorrhagic risk is unknown in patients with moyamoya-like vessels associated with atherosclerotic intracranial cerebral artery occlusion. This study was undertaken to investigate the association between moyamoya-like vessels and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in patients with atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease.
Methods:
The study population comprised 34 patients with steno-occlusive lesions in the intracranial cerebral artery caused by atherosclerosis. We evaluated the presence of moyamoya-like vessels at the base of the brain by cerebral angiography, and the presence of CMBs by T2*-weighted MRI. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those with and those without moyamoya-like vessels; clinical histories and the incidence of CMBs were compared between the groups.
Results:
Sixteen patients had moyamoya-like vessels. Twelve of 16 patients with moyamoya-like vessels had a history of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, whereas only 1 patient had a history of symptomatic cerebral hemorrhage. The incidence of CMBs did not differ between the 2 groups (31% vs. 28%, p=0.82). The location of CMBs varied and was not associated with the site of moyamoya-like vessels.
Conclusion:
CMBs were not associated with moyamoya-like vessels in patients with atherosclerotic cerebral artery occlusion. These patients may not have a high risk of cerebral hemorrhage.
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