[Spontaneous occlusion of the circle of Willis (moyamoya disease). Diagnosis and therapy].

Spontaneous occlusion of the circle of Willis (moyamoya disease), a rare cerebrovascular disease, may lead to repeated hemodynamic stroke due to unremitting changes of the basal cranial vessels. Moyamoya can be diagnosed on its specific epidemiological, clinical, and radiological features. In patients with distinctive Moyamoya disease, improvement of cerebral blood supply by means of neurosurgical revascularization enables definitive treatment. This review summarizes current knowledge of the clinical and diagnostic features of this disease and illustrates its pathological and pathophysiological characteristics. Additionally, indications and techniques of current neurosurgical revascularization procedures are illustrated.