Clin Stroke | Volume 1, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access

Basilar Artery Atherosclerosis and Small Vessel Arteriolosclerosis: Different Between Acute and Silent Pontine Infarctions

Liang Li¹ , Yu Xu² , Ting Hua² , Shu-Dong Xia¹ and Chao Feng^1*

¹Department of Cardiology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China²Department of Radiology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, School of Medicine, China

^*Correspondance to: Chao Feng 

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Abstract

Abstract Background: Pontine infarctions could be categorized as Acute Pontine Infarctions (APIs) and Silent Pontine Infarctions (SPIs). APIs are further classified as Paramedian Pontine Infarction (PPI) and Small Deep Pontine Infarction (SDPI) according to lesion locations. Previously both SPI and SDPI were attributed into small vessel arteriolosclerosis. However, with High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging (HR-MRI), some studies reported a high prevalence of basilar atherosclerosis among SDPI just like PPI. In this study we aimed to evaluate the basilar arteries of SPIs and APIs with HR-MRI, and compare their underlying vasculopathy. Methods: Participants with API, SPI and healthy subjects were recruited and scanned with HR-MRI for the identification of basilar artery atherosclerosis. Prevalence and severity of leukoaraiosis were evaluated on MRI. Prevalence of vascular risk factors, basilar atherosclerosis and leukoaraiosis was compared among three groups. Results: Compared with API patients, more subjects in SPI group had long-term hypertension, periventricular and severe leukoaraiosis which indicated severe arteriolosclerosis, less had diabetes and dyslipidemia. Besides, prevalence of basilar atherosclerosis in SPI group was similar to that of control group, much less than that of API group. Conclusion: Small vessel arteriolosclerosis was the predominant vascular change of SPIs, differently from that of APIs. Keywords: Pontine infarction; HR-MRI; Small vessel arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis

Keywords:

Keywords: Pontine infarction; HR-MRI; Small vessel arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis

Citation:

Li L, Xu Y, Hua T, Xia S-D, Feng C. Basilar Artery Atherosclerosis and Small Vessel Arteriolosclerosis: Different Between Acute and Silent Pontine Infarctions. Clin Stroke. 2019; 1(1): 1001 .