MR Spectroscopy of the Brain in Cases of Carotid Artery Stenosis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Radiodiagnosis, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Background: stenosis or occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) causes a reduction in arterial pressure distal to the stenosis or occlusion. This reduction leads to hypoperfusion which causes chemical changes in the brain and can be detected by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). Objective: The aim of the current study was to explore the value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis or occlusion. Patients and Methods: This study included a total of 30 non infarcted patients with stenosis or occlusion of unilateral internal carotid artery, attending at the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University (AlHussein) Hospital. Patients underwent MR spectroscopy to detect metabolic changes of the brain. Results: In 30 noninfarcted patients, there was decreasing in N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and increasing in choline in the hemisphere compared with the contralateral side. In addition, there was lactate peaks which found only in 8 patients. Conclusion: 1H-MRSI can reveal abnormal metabolic changes which occur in cerebral tissues with no infarction. However, internal carotid artery may show stenosis or occlusion at an initial stage, which in turn may help guide management decisions and preoperative assessment.

Keywords

The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine
Volume 77, Issue 4
October 2019
Pages 5461-5464

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