Vessel wall imaging for intracranial vascular disease evaluation

Area of Science:

• Neuroradiology
• Neuroimaging
• Vascular Imaging

Background:

• Accurate diagnosis of intracranial vasculopathies is crucial to prevent morbidity from delayed or incorrect treatment.
• Conventional imaging methods assess only the vessel lumen, limiting evaluation of the vessel wall itself.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review intracranial vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.
• To discuss applications and imaging findings of various intracranial vasculopathies.
• To highlight the relevance for neurointerventionalists, neurologists, and neuroradiologists.

Main Methods:

• Literature search of MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google for English publications.
• Keywords used: 'intracranial vessel wall imaging', 'intracranial vessel wall', and 'intracranial vessel wall MRI'.

Main Results:

• Vessel wall MRI allows direct characterization of pathological vessel wall changes.
• Extracranial vessel wall imaging has proven effective in assessing atherosclerotic plaque and stroke risk.
• Intracranial vessel wall MRI techniques offer potential for improved diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Intracranial vessel wall MRI techniques represent an advancement over conventional luminal imaging.
• These techniques can enhance diagnostic accuracy and potentially improve patient outcomes in managing intracranial vasculopathies.