0 255

Cited 42 times in

Clinical implication of cerebral artery calcification on brain CT

Authors
 Young H Sohn  ;  Hwa Y Cheon  ;  Pyoung Jeon  ;  Suk Y Kang 
Citation
 CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES, Vol.18(4) : 332-337, 2004-12 
Journal Title
CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES
ISSN
 1015-9770 
Issue Date
2004-12
MeSH
Adult ; Aged ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Brain / diagnostic imaging* ; Calcinosis / complications ; Calcinosis / diagnosis* ; Calcinosis / physiopathology ; Cerebral Arterial Diseases / complications ; Cerebral Arterial Diseases / diagnosis* ; Cerebral Arterial Diseases / physiopathology ; Cerebral Arteries / physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stroke / diagnosis ; Stroke / etiology ; Stroke / physiopathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
Abstract
Background and purpose: Arterial calcification is a process of atherosclerosis, usually taking place within advanced atheromatous plaque. In the coronary arteries, calcification seen on computed tomography (CT) often indicates severe stenosis, and is noted in almost all patients with coronary symptoms. Calcification of the cerebral arteries is also frequently observed on brain CT, but its clinical significance has yet to be clarified. To evaluate the clinical significance of cerebral arterial calcification on brain CT, we investigated the angiographic and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) findings of calcified cerebral arteries.

Methods: The subjects were 57 patients with ischemic stroke, all of whom underwent brain CT, digital subtraction cerebral angiography and TCD. Stroke subtypes were defined according to TOAST classification. Two clinicians who were blinded in respect to the patients' clinical history and to each other's interpretation, determined the presence of cerebral arterial calcification and the degree of angiographic stenosis.

Results: Cerebral artery calcification was noted in 23 patients (40%) out of a total of 46 arteries, consisting of 23 internal carotid, 15 vertebral, 5 basilar, 2 middle cerebral and 1 anterior cerebral artery. The patients with calcification were significantly older and more hypertensive than those without calcification. All the patients with calcification showed either large artery atherosclerosis or lacunar stroke. Hemodynamic alterations measured by TCD were rarely observed in calcified arteries. The severity and extent of the atherosclerotic changes were significantly greater in the patients with calcification than those without calcification.

Conclusion: These results suggest that cerebral arterial calcification does not directly indicate hemodynamically significant atherosclerotic stenosis involving calcified segments, but indicates the underlying etiology of either large artery atherosclerosis or lacunar stroke, and raises the possibility of a diffuse atherosclerotic process being present in the cerebral circulation.
Full Text
https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/80772
DOI
10.1159/000080772
Appears in Collections:
1. College of Medicine (의과대학) > Dept. of Neurology (신경과학교실) > 1. Journal Papers
Yonsei Authors
Sohn, Young Ho(손영호) ORCID logo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6533-2610
URI
https://ir.ymlib.yonsei.ac.kr/handle/22282913/178792
사서에게 알리기
  feedback

qrcode

Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Browse

Links