Comparative study on imaging measurement of intracranial arteries in patients with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia

Objective To analyze and discuss the expansion of intracranial artery for vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia(VBD)patients,and observe the compression of the brain stem.Methods By retrospective analysis of magnetic resonance angiography(MRA)and computed tomography angiography(CTA)images for clinical diagnosis of26cases of VBD patients and 30normal controls,the compression of brain stem condition was observed,and using MRA image,the diameters of the basilar artery,internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery were measured and analyzed.Results In 26 VBD cases,8cases showed different degrees of brain stem compression,the compression including the pons 5cases,medulla oblongata compression 3cases,but the corresponding clinical symptoms and signs were not found.By measuring the intracranial arteries of VBD group and normal control group using MRA,for the basilar artery and internal carotid artery(intracranial segment),the difference were statistically significant(P 0.05),but the middle cerebral artery showed no statistical significance(P 0.05).Conclusion For some VBD patients,the brain stem was compressed obviously,but no obvious clinical symptoms appeared.For VBD patients,in addition to vertebrobasilar dilatation,other intracranial arteries also exist at different degrees of expansion,and the clinical attention should be given.