High-resolution MRI of basilar atherosclerosis: three-dimensional acquisition and FLAIR sequences

Brain Behav. 2013 Jan;3(1):1-3. doi: 10.1002/brb3.103. Epub 2012 Nov 5.

Abstract

This case report describes the use of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) to visualize basilar artery atherosclerotic plaque in a patient with a pontine stroke. HRMRI with three-dimensional image acquisition was used to visualize plaque in several planes to localize arterial wall pathology. Fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences of the basilar artery showed wall thickening throughout the basilar artery wall and good contrast between the artery wall and cerebrospinal fluid.

Keywords: Basilar artery; cerebral infarction; intracranial atherosclerosis; magnetic resonance imaging; plaque; pontine stroke.