Cervicocephalic artery dissection : radiological study with clinical outcome

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p>The aim of this study was to analyze angiographic findings and the presence and topography of cerebral ischemic and/or hemorrhagic lesions in cerebral CT or MRI, and to assess the long-term clinical outcome of a series of 136 consecutive cervicocephalic artery dissection (CCAD) patients. Pulsatile tinnitus was evaluated as a symptom of CCAD. Medical records and films were reviewed retrospectively.</p><p>Irregular stenosis was found in angiography in 50% and occlusion in 33% of the dissected cervicocephalic arteries. Irregular stenosis normalized in 81% and occlusion recanalized in 34%. Other findings, such as pseudoaneurysms, intimal flaps, double lumens, and irregular dilatations were rare and often remained unchanged in follow-up.</p><p>Pulsatile tinnitus was a presenting symptom in 12% of the CCAD patients, but the majority of patients had concomitant head or neck pain, ischemic brain symptoms, Horner’s syndrome, or cranial neuropathies.</p><p>Of the 131 patients who underwent brain imaging, 73 (56%) had signs of infarction in cerebral CT or MRI. Occlusion of the dissected vessel was accompanied by infarction in 76%, irregular stenosis in 40%, and other findings only rarely. Of the anterior circulation infarctions, 95% (39/41) were territorial, subcortical, or territorial infarctions with fragmentation and could thus be considered embolic. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was found in CT in 5 of the 22 patients (23%) with intracranial dissection.</p><p>The patient’s long-term clinical outcome was assessed using two methods: a classification into categories based on neurological symptoms and defects and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Of the 136 CCAD patients, 60% recovered with no or mild disability and 79% scored 0–2 on mRS. In the case of dissection of one or more cervicocephalic arteries without occlusion, the figures were 75% and 89%. In the case of occlusive dissection of one or more arteries, only about 35% of the patients recovered well, having no or mild disability, and 61% scored 0–2 on mRS. No significant differences were seen in recovery after intra- and extracranial dissections.</p><p>In conclusion: irregular stenosis, which is the most common angiographic finding in CCAD, is associated with brain infarction less frequently than occlusion, and the long-term clinical outcome is good in most cases. Occlusion of the dissected vessel causes more brain infarctions, and only about 35% of the patients recover well, having no or mild disability. More than 10% of CCAD patients have pulsatile tinnitus as a presenting, and sometimes the only symptom.</p></div>