Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] of occult cerebro- vascular malformations

ABSTRACT

Occult cerebral vascular malformations [OCVMs] are an important cause of intracranial hemorrhage, epilepsy, and long-term disability in adults. There are scanty published prospective, population- based studies dedicated to the detection of any type of OCVMs [cavernous malformations, venous malformations, capillary telengectasia, and arteriovenous malformations [AVM]. The aim of this study is to assess the detection rate, and characterization of the occult vascular malformations using Magnetic Resonance Imaging [MRI]. All clinically suspected cases with OCVMs during two years, using two high magnetic fields MRI machines, CT scan was performed for the half of the cases, Angiography was performed for only four patients, while biopsy was available in six patients. The study included twenty patients with MRI diagnosis of OCVMs, either signal or multiple, and sometimes mixed forms. The MRI findings were excellent in detection of the lesions. the findings were more clear on Gradient Echo [GE] images, and the MRI diagnosis match the pathology reported in five out of six patients passed through this test Twenty one cavernomas, seven venous angiomas, three capillary telengectasias, and one thrombosed AVM were diagnosed MRI is a sensitive and specific tool for the diagnosis and morphological characterization of the OCVMs, Gradient- echo sequence should be included in its protocol for searching of such lesions, however further work may be needed for more assessment of its prevalence and detection of the mixed types