Sixty-six patients with greater than or equal to 50% stenosis of an intracranial internal carotid artery (IICA) were followed-up for an average of 3.9 years. Eighteen patients (27.3%) experienced ischemic events; 8 (12.1%) had isolated TIA and 10 (15.2%) a stroke. The observed stroke rate for patients 35 years and older are 13 times the expected infarction rate for a normal population. Patients with tandem extracranial stenosis had a greater risk of stroke than patients with isolated IICA stenosis. Thirty-three patients (50%) died during follow-up and 55% of all deaths were cardiac related. The observed 5 year survival rate was 60% compared to an expected rate of 87%. Patients with IICA stenosis had a higher risk of stroke and death compared to a previously reported referral population with ICA occlusion. IICA stenosis is a marker of extensive cerebrovascular and systemic atherosclerotic disease, especially coronary artery disease.

SUMMARY Giant fusiform aneurysm of the cerebral arteries was found in 11 patients during a 20-year period. The 7 males and 4 females ranged in age from 9 to 68 years (mean: 49 years). The supraclinoid segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the M-1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) were the most frequently inrolred arteries. Multiple aneurysms were identified in 3 patients. Compression of adjacent intracranial structures was the usual cause of symptoms, and only 2 patients experienced subarachnoid hemorrhage. One patient presented with transient ischemic attacks. Computed tomography, with and without Hypaque infusion, clearly demonstrated the aneurysms in the 6 of 7 patients studied. Thrombus was invariably seen in the lumen of the aneurysm. Cerebral angiography in 11 patients displayed marked dilatation and elongation of the inrolred artery. The dilatation frequently extended into connecting arteries. Surgical treatment was carried out in 6 patients, including 2 with aneurysm entrapment and decompression, 2 with proximal ICA ligation, 1 with wrapping and 1 with wrapping and superficial temporal artery (STA) to MCA anastomosis. Death occurred in 2 patients not treated surgically. Stroke, Vol 12, No 2, 1981 GIANT FUSIFORM ANEURYSM of the basilar artery is a well-recognized clinical and pathological entity.

In the study of left ventricles with heterogeneous contractility, short-axis imaging is more accurate than geometric modeling and permits wall thickness measurements when an intersection gap of 5 or 10 mm is used.

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