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Objectives: The prognosis of a cerebral artery dissection is known to be benign, but the structural changes of vessel wall at follow-up are not well known. The natural course of an intracranial and extracranial artery dissection may differ due to structural differences. We aimed to figure out how stenosis and other wall features change, according to the dissection location., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients who suffered an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack due to a dissection and who had undergone both initial and follow-up high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI). Patients were dichotomized to intracranial or extracranial dissection group. The clinical and HRMRI characteristics of two groups were compared. Factors associated with stenosis changes were also investigated., Results: A total of 57 patients (intracranial, n = 43; and extracranial, n = 14) were enrolled. The mean age (45.6 vs. 32.2, p < 0.001) was higher and hypertension (37.2% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.04) was more frequent in the intracranial dissection group. In HRMRI analysis, stenosis improvement (27.9% vs. 85.7%, p < 0.001) were more frequent whereas residual wall enhancement (86.0% vs. 46.2%, p = 0.006) and intramural hematoma (62.8% vs. 21.4%, p = 0.007) were less frequent in the extracranial dissection group. Multivariate analysis indicated that extracranial location was the only independent factor (odds ratio 8.98, 95 % confidence interval 1.45-55.65; p = 0.02) associated with stenosis improvement., Conclusions: Younger age, stenosis improvement, disappearance of wall enhancement and intramural hematoma were more frequent in an extracranial dissection compared with an intracranial dissection. An extracranial location is independently associated with stenosis improvement in dissection patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Early neurological deterioration (END) in lenticulostriate artery (LSA) infarction is associated with perforating artery hypoperfusion. As middle cerebral artery (MCA) tortuosity may alter hemodynamics, we investigated the association between MCA tortuosity and END in LSA infarction. We reviewed patients with acute LSA infarction without significant MCA stenosis. END was defined as an increase of ≥ 2 or ≥ 1 in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) total or motor score, respectively, within first 72 h. The MCA tortuosity index (actual /straight length) was measured. Stroke mechanisms were categorized as branch atheromatous disease (BAD; lesions > 10 mm and 4 axial slices) and lipohyalinotic degeneration (LD; lesion smaller than BAD). Factors associated with END in LD and BAD were investigated. END occurred in 104/390 (26.7%) patients. A high MCA tortuosity index (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 10.63, 95% confidence interval [2.57–44.08], p = 0.001) was independently associated with END. In patients with BAD, high initial NIHSS score (aOR 1.40 [1.03–1.89], p = 0.031) and presence of parental artery disease (stenosis < 50%; aOR 10.38 [1.85–58.08], p = 0.008) were associated with END. In patients with LD, high MCA tortuosity (aOR 41.78 [7.37–237.04], p < 0.001) was associated with END. The mechanism causing END in patients with LD and BAD may differ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two different stroke mechanisms are involved in small vessel disease: branch atheromatous disease (BAD) and lipohyalinotic degeneration (LD). We compared mechanisms of stroke in lenticulostriate arteries (LSA) vs. anterior pontine arteries (APA) and verified factors associated with stroke mechanisms, including shape of middle cerebral artery (MCA) and basilar artery (BA). We retrospectively reviewed patients with acute ischemic stroke with penetrating artery territory confirmed by MRI. The mechanisms of stroke were categorized based on diffusion-weighted imaging; BAD was defined as lesion larger than 10 mm in LSA and lesions involving basal pontine in APA. Other lesions were classified as LD. The shapes of MCA and BA were classified as straight, with one angle, or with two angles (U, C or S shape, respectively) using anterior–posterior view. The study included 221 patients. LD was more common in LSA infarcts, but BAD was more common in APA infarcts (p < 0.001). Low initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [Adjusted Odds ratio (aOR) = 0.78; p < 0.001], absence of hyperlipidemia [aOR = 0.31; p = 0.002], previous statin use [aOR = 4.35; p = 0.028] LSA infarcts [reference = APA territory; aOR = 11.07; p < 0.001], and S-shaped vessels (reference = straight shaped vessels; aOR = 3.51; p = 0.004) were independently associated with LD. Angulations in the mother vessels may be more associated with true small vessel disease more with LD than BAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]