Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Investigate Silent Strokes During Neck and Skull Angioplasty

Recently cervico-cranial angioplasty and stenting (CCAS) has been introduced as alternative treatment for occlusive disease of the extracranial and the intracranial vessels. Temporary or permanent clinically detectable neurological deficits occur in up to 13% of all patients undergoing CASS and are usually related to distal embolization or hemodynamic insufficiency. Silent cerebral micro-emboli are known to occur in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and angioplasty but are believed to be of little clinical significance. Distal embolization may be a technical concern when performing CCAS and could cause silent cerebral ischemia. High resolution diffusion-weighted MRI may detect silent hyperacute ischemic lesions in patients undergoing CCAS and examination by a stroke neurologist may detect clinical deficits otherwise unrecognized.