Reinoud Pieter Harmen Bokkers1, Frank J. Wessels2, H B. van der Worp3, Jaco Zwanenburg4, Jeroen Hendrikse1
1Department of Radiology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; 2Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands; 3Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; 4Image Sciences Institute, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
The vasomotor reactivity of the proximal and distal cerebral vasculature was investigated in healthy subjects and patients with a symptomatic stenosis of the ICA. High-resolution MRA was performed at 3T before and 20 minutes after an intravenous administration of acetazolamide. In healthy subjects, vessel diameter increased significantly in 10 of 11 measured arteries. Arteries in hemispheres ipsilateral to the symptomatic ICA showed no significant increase in diameter, whereas in hemispheres contralateral to the stenosis diameters increased significantly in the proximal vasculature. Findings show that high-field MRA combined with a vasodilatory challenge may contribute to a better understanding of vasomotor reactivity.