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(1) Background: Cervical arterial dissections (CeAD) are a common cause of stroke in young adults. CeAD can be spontaneous (sCeAD) or traumatic (tCeAD). Whether CeAD subtypes differ in clinical, radiological, and outcome characteristics remains unexplored. (2) Methods: Patients with CeAD were identified and divided between sCeAD and tCeAD. Demographics, clinical features, risk factors, imaging findings, treatments, and outcomes were compared between the groups. Logistic regressions were used to determine characteristics associated with favorable outcome. (3) Results: Overall, 154 patients were included (106 sCeAD and 48 tCeAD). Patients with sCeAD were significantly older (mean ± SD 46 ± 12 vs. 35 ± 14, p < 0.001) and were more likely to have hyperlipidemia (19% vs. 4%, p = 0.016), but other risk factors did not differ. Patients with tCeAD less often had signs of early infarction on imaging (21% vs. 49%, p = 0.001) and had lower stroke severity on admission (NIHSS, median, interquartile range [IQR] 0 (0–9) vs. 2 (0–4), p = 0.012), but more often had symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages (12.5% vs. 2%, p = 0.006). Patients with tCeAD less often had favorable outcomes at 90 days (78% vs. 97%, p < 0.001). In the regression analysis, the only variables associated with favorable outcome were age (odds ratio [OR] 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.24), initial stroke severity (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.73–0.97), degree of vessel stenosis (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.14–0.83), and involvement of multiple vessels on presentation (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.02–0.70), whereas dissection subtype was not associated (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.03–68.80). (4) Conclusions: Dissection subtype is not an independent modifier of the chances of attaining functional independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The mechanism responsible for stroke in patients younger than 50 often remains unknown. This study was designed to assess whether high-resolution intracranial vessel wall MR imaging (icVWI) may be instrumental in determining stroke cause. (2) Methods: Young stroke patients with and without an identified cause of stroke despite an exhaustive investigation were prospectively included. Patients who underwent icVWI were compared to those who did not. We next compared patients with and without intracranial vulnerable plaques on icVWI. (3) Results: Overall, 47 young stroke patients were identified over the span of 2 years and included in this study. Of those, 20 (42%) underwent intracranial icVWI. Cancer prevalence was higher among patients who did not have an icVWI study (19% vs. 0% p = 0.042) but there were no other significant differences between patients who had an icVWI study and those who did not have an icVWI. Among patients who had an icVWI, 11 (55%) had vulnerable plaques and the remaining nine studies were negative. Patients with positive icVWI scans had significantly higher stroke severity at admission (mean ± SD NIHSS score 5.5 ± 3.5 vs. 1.7 ± 2.3, p = 0.012). Patients with positive icVWI scans were more often treated with antiplatelets upon discharge (100% vs. 67%, p = 0.038). (4) Conclusions: icVWI can add significant information relevant to stroke pathogenesis and secondary prevention among young stroke patients with a negative exhaustive diagnostic workup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The mechanism responsible for stroke in patients younger than 50 often remains unknown. This study was designed to assess whether high-resolution intracranial vessel wall MR imaging (icVWI) may be instrumental in determining stroke cause. (2) Methods: Young stroke patients with and without an identified cause of stroke despite an exhaustive investigation were prospectively included. Patients who underwent icVWI were compared to those who did not. We next compared patients with and without intracranial vulnerable plaques on icVWI. (3) Results: Overall, 47 young stroke patients were identified over the span of 2 years and included in this study. Of those, 20 (42%) underwent intracranial icVWI. Cancer prevalence was higher among patients who did not have an icVWI study (19% vs. 0% p = 0.042) but there were no other significant differences between patients who had an icVWI study and those who did not have an icVWI. Among patients who had an icVWI, 11 (55%) had vulnerable plaques and the remaining nine studies were negative. Patients with positive icVWI scans had significantly higher stroke severity at admission (mean ± SD NIHSS score 5.5 ± 3.5 vs. 1.7 ± 2.3, p = 0.012). Patients with positive icVWI scans were more often treated with antiplatelets upon discharge (100% vs. 67%, p = 0.038). (4) Conclusions: icVWI can add significant information relevant to stroke pathogenesis and secondary prevention among young stroke patients with a negative exhaustive diagnostic workup.