• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.485-489
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• 2010

Objective : To introduce the frequency and segment analysis of in-stent stenosis for intracranial stent assisted endovascular treatment on complex aneurysms. Methods : A retrospective study was performed in 158 patients who had intracranial complex aneurysms and were treated by endovascular stent application with or without coil embolization. Of these, 102 patients were evaluated with catheter based angiography after 6, 12, and 18 months. Aneurysm location, using stent, time to stenosis, stenosis rate and narrowing segment were analyzed. Results : Among follow-up cerebral angiography done in 102 patients, 8 patients (7.8%) were shown an in-stent stenosis. Two patients have unruptured aneurysm and six patients have ruptured one. Number of Neuroform stents were 7 cases (7.5%) and Enterprise stent in 1 case (11.1%). Six patients demonstrated in-stent stenosis at 6 months after stent application and remaining two patients were shown at 12 months, 18 months, respectively. Conclusion : In-stent stenosis can be confronted after intracranial stent deployment. In our study, no patient showed symptomatic stenosis and there were no patients who required to further treatment except continuing antiplatets medication. In-stent stenosis has been known to be very few when they are placed into the non-pathologic parent artery during the complex aneurysm treatment, but the authors found that it was apt to happen on follow up angiography. Although the related symptom was not seen in our cases, the luminal narrowing at the stented area may result the untoward hemodynamic event in the specific condition.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.322-326
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• 2011

Objective : Stenting of symptomatic intracranial stenosis has recently become an alternative treatment modality. However, urgent intracranial stenting in patients with intracranial stenosis following a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke is open to dispute. We sought to assess the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of urgent intracranial stenting for severe stenosis (>70%) in TIA or minor stroke patients. Methods : Between June 2009 and October 2010, stent-assisted angioplasty by using a balloon-expandable coronary stent for intracranial severe stenosis (>70%) was performed in 7 patients after TIA and 5 patients after minor stroke (14 stenotic lesions). Technical success rates, complications, angiographic findings, and clinical outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Results : Stenting was successful in all 12 patients. The mean time from symptom onset to stenting was 2.1 days (1-8 days). Post-procedural angiography showed restoration to a normal luminal diameter in all patients. In-stent thrombosis occurred in one patient (n=1, 8.3%), and was lysed with abciximab. No device-related complications, such as perforations or dissections at the target arteries or intracranial hemorrhaging, occurred in any patient. The mortality rate was 0%. No patient had an ischemic event over the mean follow-up period of 12.5 months (range, 7-21 months), and follow-up angiography (n=7) revealed no significant in-stent restenosis (>50%). Conclusion : Urgent recanalization with stenting is feasible, safe, and effective in patients with TIA or acute minor stroke with intracranial stenosis of ${\geq}$ 70%.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.284-288
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• 2009

Objective : Our retrospective study aimed to determine whether 16-slice computerized tomography (CT) angiography optimized sharp kernel is suitable for the evaluation of visibility, luminal patency and re-stenosis of intracranial stents in comparison with conventional angiography. Methods : Fifteen patients with symptomatic intracranial stenotic lesions underwent balloon expandable stent deployment of these lesions (10 middle cerebral arteries, 2 intracranial vertebral arteries, and 3 intracranial internal carotid arteries). CT angiography follow-up ranged from 6 to 15 months (mean follow-up, 8 months) after implantation of intracranial stents and conventional angiography was confirmed within 2 days. Curved multiplanar reformations with maximal intensity projection (MIP) with optimal window settings for assessment of lumen of intracranial stents were evaluated for visible lumen diameter, stent patency (contrast distal to the stent as an indirect sign), and re-stenosis by two experienced radiologists who blinded to the reports from the conventional angiography. Results : All of stents deployed into symptomatic stenotic lesions. All stents were classified as patent and no re-stenosis, which was correlated with results of conventional angiography. Parts of the stent lumen could be visualized in all cases. On average, 57% of the stent lumen diameter was visible using optimized sharp kernel. Significant improvement of lumen visualization (22%, p<0.01) was observed using the optimized sharp kernel compared with the standard sharp kernel. Inter-observer agreements on the measurement of lumen diameter and density were judged as good, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion : Sixteen-slice CT using the optimized sharp kernel may provide a useful information for evaluation of lumen diameter patency, and re-stenosis of intracranial stents.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.200-203
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• 2007

We describe a case that showed augmention of the superficial temporal artery [STA] pedicle's patency 15 months after extracranial to intracranial [EC-IC] bypass surgery for a carotid artery occlusion with contralateral intracranial internal carotid artery stenosis. It is rare that meager patency of the STA pedicle in the early postoperative angiogram can be become well augmented with time where most branches of the middle cerebral artery [MCA] are robustly filled with blood from the STA. A 28-year-old woman with a history of a previous left hemispheric stroke presented with slurred speech after several bouts of seizure. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a new infarct on the right hemisphere in addition to an old infarct on the left hemisphere. Carotid angiography revealed stenosis of the right carotid siphon and occlusion of the left carotid artery. The patient underwent EC-IC bypass on the right side. Even though the early postoperative angiogram showed meager filling of MCA with no significant stenotic lesion change, a subsequent angiogram taken 15 months later, demonstrated a widely patent STA pedicle with occlusion of the previous intracranial stenotic lesion. Selected cases with an inaccessible intracranial stenotic lesion can benefit from EC-IC bypass surgery; however, its clear indication should first be established.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.377-380
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• 2006

Intradiploic epidermoid cysts of the cranium are rare, benign and slow growing lesion. However, these cysts may cause neurologic deficits due to mass effect. Intradiploic epidermoid cysts are thought to be derived from persistent ectodermal remnants present in the cranial bones during embryogenic development. Here, we report a case of an occipital intradiploic epidermoid cyst with posterior fossa extension. The patient developed intracranial hypertension associated with hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis, and venous congestion secondary to compression of the torcular and the transverse sinus. The imaging studies included a computerized tomography[CT] venogram, which is essential for determining the pathophysiological mechanism of the clinical spectrum and for surgical planning. Near total removal was accomplished and the postoperative course was uneventful. Postoperative imaging studies demonstrated a reversal of the neural structures, but no patency of the sinus, which was presumably indicative of prolonged sinus stenosis. The patient gradually improved and was discharged free of symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.427-435
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• 2007

Recently, intracranial atherosclerosis has become a major cause of ischemic stroke, appearing more frequently in Koreans than Caucasians. Symptomatic or asymptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis is a disease that could recur readily even during the treatment with anti-platelet agents. When the symptoms develop, ischemic stroke can not be recovered readily. Therefore, aggressive treatments such as endovascular therapy and bypass surgery are required in addition to medical treatment for the intracranial artery stenosis. Recent intracranial stenting and drug eluting stenting have shown as very advanced effective therapeutic modalities. Nevertheless, until now, a randomized controlled study has not been conducted. Regarding bypass surgery, since the failed EC-IC bypass surgery study performed 20 years ago, extensive studies on its efficacy has not been conducted yet, and thus it has to be performed strictly only in hemodynamically compromised patients. Unless breakthrough drugs that suppress the progression of intracranial atherosclerosis and the formation of thrombi, and facilitate the regression of the arterial stenosis, the treatment concept of the recovery of the blood flow of stenotic arterial territory by mechanical recanalization or bypass surgery would be remained for the prevention as well as treatment of ischemic stroke caused by intracranial atherosclerosis.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2006

Objectives : Transcranial Doppler (TCD) has been reported to be established as useful in detecting spasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage and to be probably useful in diagnosing stenosis or occlusion in intracranial arteries. In the detection of intracranial stenosis using TCD there have been reported some kinds of diagnostic criteria. This study was aimed to evaluate the accordance between TCD and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in detection of intracranial stenosis and to find out more accurate criteria for intracranial stenosis using TCD. Methods : Seventy-six stroke patients were evaluated by TCD and MRA. TCD criteria for middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis were used by 3 methods; ≥ 80cm/sec of mean velocity(Vm), ≥ 140 cm/sec of systolic velocity(Vs), and both. For stenosis of vertebral(VA) and basilar arteries(BA), the TCD criteria followed by 2 methods; ≥ 70 cm/sec of Vm and ≥ 100 cm/sec of Vs. The stenosis of intracranial artery in MRA followed by the interpretation of specialist in the department of radiology. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, diagnostic accuracy and kappa agreement were calculated in each criteria of TCD compared with the result of MRA. Results : The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, diagnostic accuracy and kappa agreement using ≥ 80cm/sec of Vm for MCA stenosis were 55.6%, 81%, 34.5%, 91.0%, 77.1%, and 0.293, respectively. Using 140 cm/sec of Vs, those were 44.4%, 92.0%, 50.5%, 90.2%, 84.7%, 0.380, and using both criteria those were 44.4%, 95.0%, 61.5%, 90.5%, 87.3%, 0.445, respectively. Those using ≥ 70 cm/sec of Vm for VA and BA stenosis were 71.4%, 93.7%, 26.3%, 99.0%, 93.0%, 0.186 and using ≥ 100 cm/sec of Vs those were 71.4%, 97.3%, 45.5%, 99.1%, 96.5%, 0.539, respectively. Conclusion : These results suggested that for the diagnosis of MCA stenosis using TCD we should use the criteria of both ≥ 80cm/sec of Vm and 140 cm/sec of Vs, and for the VA and BA stenosis we adapt the criteria of ≥ 70 cm/sec of Vm.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.28-30
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• 2006

Two patients presented with amaurosis fugax[AMF]. despite treatment with antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulants due to previous transient ischemic attacks. Angiography demonstrated severe stenosis in the cavernous and petrous internal carotid artery[ICA] respectively, with reduced flow in the ophthalmic artery[OA]. Endovascular stent placement in both patients resulted in normalization of the vessel lumen of the stenotic vessel segments. In addition, complete restoration of OA flow was noted immediately after stenting. Both patients showed no further episode of AMF over a follow-up period of 38 and 23 months respectively. Our clinical and angiographic findings suggest that hemodynamic Insufficiency in retinal vasculature caused by a stenosis of the cavernous or petrous ICA can be treated successfully by endovascular stent.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.351-356
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• 2019

This study aimed to determine whether there was a difference in measurements between North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial(NASCET) and Warfarin-Aspirin Symptomatic Intracranial Disease(WASID) methods that measure the middle cerebral artery stenosis in Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) and Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA). It involved 24 patients who had completed both DSA and MRA among patients with Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) stenosis. The Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) stenosis was measured using the NASCET and WASID methods through a retrospective analysis. For the NASCET and WASID methods, they performed measurements on normal blood vessels located far from and close to the stenosis, respectively. The mean value and standard deviation of the Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) measured by the NASCET method were 59.23% and 13.27%. On the other hand, those of the Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) measured by the WASID method were 66.64% and 12.47%. And, the mean value and standard deviation of the Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) measured by the NASCET method were 49.82% and 12.06%. By contrast, those of the Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) measured by the WASID method were 56.63% and 10.67%. All the p-values obtained by the Pearson and Spearman correlation tests in the Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) and the Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) were <0.01. In conclusion, this study suggests that both the NASCET and WASID methods to measure the middle cerebral artery stenosis in the Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) and the Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) can be used if they are not used interchangeably.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.17-28
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• 2021

The pathogenesis of many strokes originates in the vessel wall. Despite this, most traditional imaging focuses on the vascular lumen. Vessel-wall magnetic resonance imaging (VWMRI) is useful for establishing the etiology of intracranial stenosis. It also provides information regarding atherosclerotic plaque composition and thus plaque vulnerability, which is an indication of its potential to cause a stroke. In this review we focus on the characteristics of VWMRI findings in various arteriopathies related to intracranial artery stenosis, and discuss the clinical implications of these findings.