Abstract #2675

Lavalle P, Schouman-Claeys E, Touboul P, Amarenco P, Klein I

Patients with symptomatic middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis are at high risk of recurrent stroke. Only indirect imaging of intracranial atherosclerosis is currently available. Black blood and multicontrast images using high spatial resolution were acquired at the level of MCA stenosis and of normal MCA segments, as documented by angiographic indirect methods. Data imaging and analysis showed a significant, focal, arterial wall thickening underlying each MCA stenosis. The mean wall (plaque) area was 6.99 mm2 (range 4.42 mm2 to 12.06 mm2). HR-MRI provides a non-invasive method to study, in vivo, the burden and pathogenesis of intracranial atherosclerosis.