Vessel Wall Imaging Features of Spontaneous Intracranial Carotid Artery Dissection

Carotid artery dissection is a condition involving a tear in the inner layer of the carotid artery. These dissections can be detected using an MRI technique called vessel wall imaging (VWI). However, intracranial applications of VWI have not yet been fully explored. Using pathologic specimens, scientists decided to investigate whether VWI is effective in identifying spontaneous intracranial carotid dissection (sICD), a condition that is rarely reported.

After 407 VWI examinations, scientists found that sICD can be distinguished on VWI from intracranial atherosclerotic disease by enhancement characteristics, less positive remodeling, and clinical parameters.

Dr. Renu Virmani, CVPath Founder and President Emeritus, and Dr. Maria Romero, Chief of Anatomic Pathology, contributed to this paper published in Neurology and written by Wasserman BA, et al. Read about it here.