Magnetic resonance angiography evaluation of external carotid artery tributaries in moyamoya disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: High-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) image has been introduced to diagnose and follow-up moyamoya disease and visualized moyamoya vessels and internal carotid artery stenosis. This study was performed to assess the utility of MR angiography (MRA) for the evaluation of anastomotic channels through the external carotid artery (ECA) in moyamoya disease patients.

METHODS

Twenty patients with moyamoya disease were reviewed. The cortical anastomosis and superficial temporal artery (STA), middle meningeal artery, and deep temporal artery by MRA were evaluated and were compared with those by digital subtraction angiography if obtained. Fifteen patients (24 hemispheres) underwent bypass surgery, including encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis in 14 hemispheres and STA-middle cerebral artery anastomosis with encephalomyosinangiosis in 10 hemispheres. Five patients did not undergo any surgery.

RESULTS

MRA could show these vessels and the patency of anastomosis formed by the surgery and also showed naturally formed anastomosis and ECA tributaries in the patients who did not undergo any surgery.

CONCLUSION

MRA provides useful information for follow-up evaluation on the development of the ECA system in moyamoya disease.