J. Greenan,

Timothy

MD2

#{149} Robert

Cerebral Vasculitis: and Angiographic Cerebral vasculitis is an unusual disorder with numerous causes. One such entity, noninfectious granulomatous angiitis of the nervous system (CANS), is an extremely rare disease with a predilection for leptomeningeal and parenchymal arteries and veins. Isolated involvement of the central

nervous

system

Radiology

I

From

Philadelphia. requested 2 Current RSNA,

1992;

the

an-

182:65-72

Department

of Radiology,

Hospital

#{149} Herbert

I. Goldberg,

MD

MR Imaging Correlation’

C

vasculitis

EREBRAL

is a mare

One

ulomatous

angiitis

of the

In GCA, usually the temporal artery alone is involved (12). GCA is a granulomatous panamteritis predominantly

disor-

der with numerous causes such disease, noninfectious

(1). gran-

nervous

sys-

tern (CANS), was first described as a distinct entity by Cravioto and Feign in 1959 (2). CANS is an extremely rare disorder

of pamenchymal

meningeal

is characteris-

tic of GANS, which has also been referred to as primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS). The results of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and angiography in seven patients with presumed PACNS were retrospectively analyzed and correlated. MR images were positive in every case. Charactenstically, lesions were multiple, bilateral, and supratentonal. Both gray- and white-matter infarcts were identified in four of seven patients; infarcts were most common in the deep white matter. PACNS can also appear as primary parenchymal hemorrhage or simulate low-grade glioma. All lesions identified on MR images were associated with positive angiographic findings of cerebral vasculitis in the corresponding vascubar distribution. However, for 12 of 33 vascular distributions with angiographic evidence of cerebral vasculitis, no lesions were identified on MR images. These correlative observations suggest that some patients with proved PACNS may have normal MR imaging results.

Index terms: Arteritis, 13.2581 #{149} Cerebral giography. 17.124 #{149} Cerebral blood vessels, MR. 17.1214 #{149} Vasculitis, 13.2581

MD

I. Grossman,

affect

arteries

vessels

and

of any

predilection teriobes Histologic

and

(200-500 findings

pm

wall,

which

the vessel lymphocytes,

of similar

It can

(4).

nervous

cell arteritis (8,9).

Even

(GCA)

shown rarely to poral artery and (10,11), it seems and GCA do in tinct tends larger

of the

PA 19104. From the 1990 RSNA scientific assembly. Received June 3; revision received July 30; accepted August 12. Address address: Washington Imaging Center, Chevy Chase, Md. 1992

of

is infiltrated

by

large

(7). by 5evof giant-

(temporal GCA

arteritis)

has

been

that

PACNS

fact represent

two

3400 17, 1991; requests

Spruce revision to RIG.

can

giogram

ing,

dis-

classic

only

on

vas-

the

Segmental

basis

narrow-

angiographic

feature

of vasculitis, is nonspecific and is observed in numerous conditions, including PACNS, bacterial or viral am-

teritis,

the systemic

sarcoidosis,

vasculitides,

intravenous

drug

abuse,

atherosclerosis, neoplasm, and arachnoid hemorrhage. To our knowledge, no series tients with PACNS has scribed in the radiobogic and only scattered case

subof pa-

been deliterature, reports, pre-

dominantly in the nonmadiobogic literature, have documented the cornputed tomogmaphic (CT) findings in patients with proved PACNS (5-7,1319). The descriptions of these findings are vague and range from normal to single

or multiple,

bland three

small

or hemrnorhagic case reports have resonance

to barge,

infarcts. Only documented

(MR)

findings

in

patients with PACNS (20-22). We report a retrospective study the MR imaging and angiographic findings

bral

St,

be made

(5-7,13).

the

magnetic

involve both the ternintracranial vessels

April reprint

of cerebral

of positive brain biopsy results; a highly presumptive diagnosis of cemebral vascubitis, however, may be made on the basis of a positive cerebral an-

(PACNS)

of Pennsylvania,

diagnosis

(3).

nosobogic entities (2,3). GCA to involve systemic vessels than those affected by PACNS.

University

Definitive culitis

Characteristically,

likely

nably, GCA characteristically affects persons older than does PACNS and has a more self-limited course (2).

a

been considered to be a variant though

wall is (2). Fi-

am-

cells,

system”

vasorum,

and

Isolated involvement of the central nervous system vascubatume is chamactemistic of GANS. Hence, subsequent to its original decription, GANS has also been referred to in the literature as “ isolated angiilis of the central nervous system” (3,5-6) and more recently as “primary angiitis of the cenPACNS has erab authors

media

of the vessel in PACNS

arteries

these vasculitic lesions result in multiple foci of ischemic or hemorrhagic infarction secondary to vessel wall proliferation with resultant luminal obliteration, thrombolic occlusion, or rupture of necrotic vessel walls.

tral

tunica

shows

cells, and giant cells (4). is usually, but not always, by granubomas composed cells

the

but

in diameter) include necrosis

plasma

mononuclear The vessel surrounded

veins.

size,

for small

bepto-

involving

while this layer relatively spared

in seven

vasculitis.

patients

One

patient

with

had

of

ceme-

bi-

Abbreviations: CSF = cerebrospinal fluid, GANS = granulomatous angiitis of the nervous system. GCA = giant-cell arteritis, HIV = human immunodeficiency virus, PACNS = primary angiitis of the central nervous system, SE = spin echo, SLE = systemic lupus erythematosus, TE = echo time, TR = repetition time.

65

opsy-proved PACNS. patients, clinical and failed to confirm the giographically verified Hence, by exclusion, diagnosis of PACNS

SUBJECTS

AND

In the 68-month

interval 1990, patients

of the University

of Pennsylvania,

and The

Children’s subjects

necessary,

between

April

of PACNS

Phila-

Hospital (five male

of Philaand two

was

made

only

after

exhaustive clinical and laboratory investigation failed to define the cause of the neurologic dysfunction or the angiographic abnormality. Patient evaluation included history, physical examination, chest radiography, complete blood cell count, routine blood chemistry analysis, urinalysis,

rheumatoid

panel

of tests,

mea-

surement

of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, Lyme titer, lumbar puncture with microbiologic studies, head CT, MR imaging,

and

cerebral

angiography.

Conventional performed

(patient studied nique.

biplane

in every

angiography

case.

In one

was

patient

7), the left vertebral artery with a digital angiographic Three vessels were injected

was techin five

patients, and two vessels were injected in two patients (Table 2). Positive findings on angiograms were defined as a focal or diffuse, smooth or irregular, abnormal narrowing of a vessel, or an abnormal focal dilatation of a vessel (1). In each case, the extent of the vasculitic process was assessed

by recording

the

number

of vascu-

bar distributions involved (Table 2). All patients underwent MR imaging examination, six with a 1.5-1 superconducting magnet (GE Medical Systems, Mibwaukee) and one with a 1.0-1 unit (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). Spin-echo (SE) sagittal 600/20 (repetition time [TR] msec/echo time [TE] msec) and axial 3,000/30, 80 images were obtained in each case. Gadopentetate dimeglumine, 0.2 mL/kg (Magnevist; Berlex Laboratories, Wayne, NJ) was

administered

postcontrast

in

two

images in the (600/27-30).

patients, axial

and plane

were obtained Positive findings on MR images were defined as high-signal-intensity foci on long-TR images, presumed to represent infarcts

or regions

of ischemia.

Lesions

were of greater magnitude than the cornmonly encountered tiny foci of high signal intensity

often

seen

long-TR images resent sequelae rotic disease in our patient

66

#{149} Radiology

in the white

matter

on

and were believed to repof small-vessel atheroscle-

(which would be uncommon cohort) or foci of demyelina-

tion. In one patient,

arbitrator.

Cerebral angiography (Table 2) in the seven patients demonstrated angiographic evidence of cerebral vascubilis in 33 separate vascular distributions. If only the five patients in whom bilateral carotid and a vertebral injection were performed are considered, then 27 vascular distributions were involved (median = 6, range = 1-8). The supratentoriab circubalion was involved in all seven palients, and angiographic evidence of disease was observed in the infratentoriab vasculature in two palients. Table 3 details the results of MR imaging, which were positive in all seven patients. A total of 36 lesions were identified. Multiple lesions were found in six patients. All lesions were

PACNS was diat the Hospital

the sole abnormal

supratentorial.

Bilateral

disease

was

present in six patients. Four patients had lesions involving both gray and white matter (Fig 1). In five patients, 14 lesions were in the deep white matter. Seven of these deep whitematter lesions in three patients were found in the penventricular white matter. Two of these three patients had additional lesions in gray matter incompatible

with

a diagnosis

of mul-

liple sclerosis. The third patient had a deep white matter lesion in the occipital lobe interpreted as a bow-grade glioma. This patient had another tiny white matter lesion adjacent to the atrium of the right lateral ventricle. Nevertheless, these findings were certainly not typical of multiple sclerosis. Thirteen cortical infarcts were present in three patients, and five deep gray matter lesions were idenlifled in four patients (Fig 2). Three infarcts in two patients involved cortex and subcorticab white matter, but only one isolated subcortical white matter infarct was seen. Hemorrhagic lesions, seen in three patients, included a caudate hemormhage (Fig 3), a hemorrhagic cortical infarct (Fig 2), and an isolated barge parenchymab hemorrhage (Fig 4). Gadopentetate dimeglumine, administered in two patients, revealed enhancement in five of eight lesions in one patient, all of which were cortical infarcts. In the second patient, one of three infarcts was enhanced. Thirty-two of 36 lesions identified

Data and Biopsy

Patient/Age (y)/Sex

RESULTS

female) ranged in age from 3 to 44 years (median, 27 years) (Table I). All patients were normotensive. Three patients underwent brain biopsy. In those patients who did not undergo brain biopsy, or in whom the results of brain biopsy were negative, a presumptive diagnosis

an independent

Table 1 Demographic

METHODS

1985 and December agnosed in seven debphia, delphia.

finding on MR images consisted of a large parenchymal hemorrhage. The median time elapsed between performing MR imaging and angiography was 5 days (range, 0-10 days). All studies were analyzed by two readers and, when

In the other six laboratory data cause of the anvasculitis. a presumptive was made.

Biopsy

Results Results

1/27/F

Negative

2/37/M 3/3/F

Negative Not performed

4/14/M 5/44/M 6/23/M 7/27/M

Not

performed

Not performed Positive Not

performed

on MR images could be correlated with positive angiographic findings in the corresponding vascular distribution. The apparent lack of correlation of four lesions resulted from the angiographic data not being available, as none of the patients in our cohort underwent raphy.

four-vessel Specifically,

cerebral angiogin five patients,

three vessels underwent injection, and in two patients, two vessels underwent injection. It should be emphasized that in 12 of 33 cases of vascubar distribution with angiographic evidence of vascubitis, no identifiable lesions

in the

were

corresponding

visualized

Of the seven graphic, clinical, ings diagnostic

territory

on MR images. patients with angioand laboratory findof PACNS who were

included in this study, three underwent brain biopsy. In two patients (patients 1 and 2), the right frontal lobe and its beptomeninges underwent biopsy with negative results. MR examination in a third patient (patient 6) revealed a moderate-sized lesion confined to the deep white matter of the left occipital lobe, which was

interpreted

as a possible

grade glioma (Fig of this lesion were bomatous angiitis.

low-

5). Results of biopsy positive for granu-

DISCUSSION Prompt diagnosis sential. If untreated,

of PACNS is esthis disease is

rapidly

and

progressive

frequently

fatal. Patients are usually middleaged, and there is no sex-related predominance (7). Headache is the most frequent complaint, and signs of both global and focal neurobogic dysfunction are usually identified (7). Symptoms

such

as fever,

myalgia,

arthral-

gia, and arthritis, which occur frequently in other vasculitic syndromes, are conspicuously absent in PACNS (4). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is elevated in two-thirds of patients (7). Cerebmospinal fluid (CSF) analysis

characteristically

shows January

a 1992

Table 2 Angiograph

ic Evidence

of Arte

Involvement

ritic

ACA

ICA Vessel Injected

Patient

MCA

R

L

R

L

R

SCA

Vert

PCA

L

R

L

R

L

R

L

LCCA,LV

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

+

+

+

+

-

+ +

-

+

+ +

-

BCCA,LV

-

-

-

-

3 4 5 6

BCCA,LV BCCA,LV BCCA,LV BCCA,LV LCCA,LV

-

-

+

+

+

+

-

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

+

+

+

-

-

+

-

-

5 6

-

-

+ +

+

+

+

+

+

-

-

+

+

8

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

+

-

+

-

-

-

-

Note.-ACA = anterior cerebral artery, BCCA = bilateral common carotid arteries, ICA = supraclinoid mon carotid artery, L = left, LV = left vertebral artery, MCA = middle cerebral artery, = no evidence evidence of involvement, R = right, SCA = superior cerebellar artery, vert = vertebral.

of Lesions

Patient

.

SC

DWM

0 0 0 0 0 1 0

6 2 0

I 1* 1

j*

0

3 2 0

2 0 0

3 8

1

14

5

36

1 0 5*

4 5 6

0 0 0

7

7

0 0 0 0 2 0 1

13

3

Total

Total

C/S

1 2 3

weakening

Note-C = cortex, C/S = cortical/subcortical white matter, SC = subcortical white matter. *One lesion was hemorrhagic.

white

matter,

DGM

0GM

deep

=

gray

(35). The angiographic rebral vascubitis are

8 3 6 1

can be seen

7

matter,

DWM

with

an

elevated

(7). Prednisone for

treatment

for

drug

PACNS.

of For

of corticosteroid-resistant

or progressive PACNS, cyclophospharnide can be added to the therapy

The known,

exact cause although

of PACNS numerous

(5).

is unreports

suggest a possible viral cause. The association of herpes zoster ophthalmicus and delayed contralateral hemiparesis is well known (23,24).

Cerebral tients culitis

angiogmaphy shows most

findings cornrnonly

in these

the Ml and A2 segments dle and anterior cerebral

phy

and

logic

history High antibody

vasto

In most of there is also a

of a patient

and used clear

electron microscopy has been to identify herpeslike intranuviral particles in another patient

182

#{149} Number

PACNS

virus from the

CSF

Volume

with

1

enter

into

the

diagnosis

radio-

of cerebral

(29),

to be eccentric

and

involve

segments (36). That

orrhage

produces

who

Willis. Subarachnoid hemorrhage rarely occurs as a consequence of muptume of an arteritic vessel (1). Physical

was

semonegative

munodeficiency virus yet HIV was isolated and CSF (19). Electron

for human

wall

and

within

granubomatous

a patient with ing is supported

im-

(HIV) infection, from the brain microscopy has

mycoplasmabike

in the

traburninab

of the midarteries,

of lymphorna. levels of anti-varicella have been isolated

hence

differential

shorter lesions

tures

respectively (25,26). Histopathobogically, these patients have a granubornatous vasculitis identical to that of PACNS (27,28). Diffuse granubornatous vascubitis has also been described in patients with recent herpes zoster

infection (14-16,27-31). these cases, however,

of noninflarn-

with PACNS (32). The association of PACNS with other viral or viruslike illnesses has also been seen. Specificabby, granubornatous angiitis has mecently been described in a patient

demonstrated

pa-

of cerebral localized

in a variety

of ceand

vasculitis. Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of arterial narrowing seen at angiography. The stenotic lesions of atherosclerosis, however,

protein

is the

therapy

findings nonspecific

to

hemorrhage, and neoplasm may mimic cerebral vasculitis at angiogradeep

=

vessel

secondary process

matory and inflammatory disorders. Noninflammatory vascubopathies such as atherosclerosis, subamachnoid

tend pleocytosis

of a damaged

wall (1) or vasoparabysis an adjacent inflammatory

on MR Images

C

1 3

segment of internal carotid artery, LCCA = left cornof involvement, PCA = posterior cerebral artery, + =

from

Table 3 Distribution

level

3 7

I 2

7

choice

No. of Arteries Involved

structhe

in

PACNS (33). This findby the work of Tho-

mas et al (34), who injected turkey poults with a neurotropic strain of Mycoplasrna gallisepticutn and pro-

duced

a fatal

necmotizing

cerebral

vas-

tions.

When

alternate

with the focal dilatations, is a “ string-of-beads” appearThe vascular narrowings in ceangiitis may be due to spasm,

theme ance. rebrab

edema,

cellular

vascular

infiltration

narrowings

or prolifem-

of the vessel wall, or compression by surrounding thickened meninges from exudate or fibrosis (i). Similarly, focal dilatations may result ation

usual

of an aneurysm

examination,

is well

cause

is rup-

of the circle

CT appearance,

of

and

CSF

in identifyhemor-

rhage. Neoplasms can also produce vascular narrowings and irregularities that resemble arteritis at arteriography.

cubitis. The characteristic angiographic features of cerebral vasculitis consist of vascular narmowings and focal dilata-

the

ture

vasospasm

The

studies should be useful ing cases of subarachnoid

in-

reaction

established.

than do vasculitic subarachnoid hem-

These

findings

may

(meningioma

metastasis

(37) or diffuse or meningeal

(lymphoma, carcinomatosis).

be focal

or glioma) leukemia, CSF

evaluation and MR examination with administration of contrast material will usually indicate the presence of neoplastic disease. Cerebral vasculitis can be of infectious or noninfectious cause. Unfortunately,

cannot other

these

numerous

be distinguished solely on the basis

graphic cerebral nantly

criteria. vasculitis bacterial

Infectious include and viral

rulent

bacterial

arteritis

a complication

of severe

conditions

from one of angiocauses pmedomidisease.

is most

anof Pu-

often

bacterial

Radiology

#{149} 67

Figure

1. Patient

(a) SE 3,000/80

1.

axial

MR

and

image

arteriographic

reveals

images

numerous

obtained

foci of high

in a 27-year-old

signal

patient

intensity

compatible

with

PACNS

with

infarcts

and

multiple

gray

and

white

in the left perisylvian

cortex,

matter

infarcts.

left putamen,

left posterior parietal white matter, and right external capsule (arrows). (b) SE 3,000/80 axial image at a level slightly superior to that in a shows foci of high signal intensity indicative of infarction adjacent to the body of the left lateral ventricle and in the white matter of the left parietal lobe. There is a tiny extraaxial collection in the right frontal region compatible with recent brain biopsy. (c) Early lateral view from an arteriogram of the left common carotid artery shows focal segments of narrowing (arrows) involving the pericallosal and callosomarginal branches of the anterior cerebral artery, which is compatible with vasculitis. In addition, there is nonfilling of multiple middle cerebral branches secondary to extensive vasculitic involvement.

due to Haeinoinfection (38). The most common finding is involvement of the arteries at the base of the brain, as this is the predominant location of purulent arachnoiditis (1,39). More peripheral branches may show vary-

litis, and drug-abuse vasculitis. Periarteritis nodosa is the most common of the systemic necrotizing vascubitides associated with cerebral vascubitis (3).

of SLE developed months later. Central nervous ment in sarcoidosis

The

3%-5%

ing degrees of diffuse Acute bacterial arteritis

sis, sis of

meningitis,

philus

usually

influenzae

narrowing (1). may result in

formation of mycotic aneurysm (39). The arteritis associated with tubercubus meningitis also has a marked tendency to involve arteries at the base of the brain, particularly the supraclinoid portion of the internal carotid artery and the horizontal portion of

the

middle

quently branches.

cerebral also involves The proclivity

artery the

(1), but convexity of syphilis

invade the vasculature is quite dent in tertiary meningovascular

freto

evidis-

ease.

other

bitides, yasu

by necrotizing

and

is usually

the disease tients with

inflammation

ported patients

by Ford and with central

symptoms

tremely

a late

manifestation

(3). In the periarteritis

had

topathobogically,

of

disease,

from

PACNS (3). Cerebral vasculitis has been described to be associated with several of the collagen vascular diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus

first

(50).

uncommon.

In their

findings

cases of SLE, Ellis and Verity found evidence of cerebral in only 7% . In SLE, as with collagen vascular diseases, vasculitis generally occurs

with disease genhuis

previously

diagnosed

review

in 57 (41) vasculitis

the

other

cerebral in patients

systemic

(41,43-45). Sanders and Ho(42) reported a case of cere-

bral

vasculitis

tom

of SLE.

as the

Systemic

presenting

manifestations

system involveoccurs in only (3). Cerebral angiin association is exceedingly et al (49) mefindings in a vasculitis. His-

the

symp-

described

evidence occlusion of

in

In 1971,

leagues

(SLE) (41-43), scberoderma (44), and rheumatoid arthritis (45), but is exthe neumopathobogic

16

form

of

granubo-

angiitis seen in sarcoid is very to PACNS (4). The two diseases are best distinguished by the presence of systemic samcoidosis and leptomeningitis, which have been seen in all reported cases of angiitis neurosarcoid (3,46-49). CSF analysis and MR examination with contrast material administration will usually demonstrate the presence of leptomeningeal disease as the cause of an arteritis. Illegal drug-abuse vasculitis was

Siekert (40), all nervous system

distinction

patients

patient

matous similar

series of 114 panodosa re-

systemic

enables

of

itis has been described with sarcoidosis but rare (46-48). Lawrence ported angiographic patient with samcoid

primarily of muscular arteries (1). Central nervous system involvement in periarteritis nodosa has been meported to occur in 46% of cases (40)

analysis of CSF will indicate the bactenab cause of the arteritis. A large number of viruses display neurotropism (39). With the exception of herpes

#{149} Radiology

vascu-

however,

acterized

which

68

necrotizing

include GCA, Takaarteritis, Wegener granubomatoand bymphomatoid granulomato(3). Pemiarteritis nodosa is a disease multiple system involvement char-

In syphilitic angiitis, both arteries and veins are affected and there is a predilection for branches of the middle cerebral artery (39). Luetic artemiab lesions are generally diffuse and affect all leptomeningeab vessels, causing difficulty with collateral circubation (39). Results of microbiologic

zoster, however, viruses generally affect vessels of microscopic cabiber(1). The noninfectious vascubitides are numerous. In addition to PACNS are the systemic necrotizing vasculitides, vasculitis associated with collagen vascular disease, neurosarcoid vascu-

systemic

in their

(51)

1970

Rumbaugh reported

by

Citron

and

et

ab

cob-

angiographic

of cerebral vasculitis in 19 addicts who

and/or mostly

used methamphetarnine. Methamphetamine or “speed” arteritis has subsequently been described by numerous

other

investigators

(52-54).

Cerebral vasculitis has also been meported to be associated with heroin (55) and, more recently, cocaine abuse (56,57). The exact pathogenesis of drug-abuse vasculitis is unknown, but a hypersensitivity reaction to the drug and/or to impurities has been postulated

(55). January

1992

tious cause of the vasculitis patient. Physical examination, sis of CSF, and MR and CT

revealed titers history



c-.

were .

C..

#{149}.::

.. CA

...; 1,

Si#{149}

::

a.

patient zostem

b.

Figure

2. Patient 3. Multiple gray matter infarcts in a 3-year-old patient with PACNS. (a) SE 3,000/80 axial image reveals high signal intensity compatible with infarction in the left thalamus and bilateral anterosuperior insular cortex. (b) SE 3,000/80 axial image reveals abnormal high signal intensity in the medial aspect of the left frontoparietal cortex, which is indicative of infarction. A focus of low signal intensity within the infarct represents hemorrhage.

A

Lyme had oph-

In addition, there of systemic disease Results of rheumatoid

unremarkable. and

enzyme #{149}54

,...

disease.

graphs

%Jk0::

-0’

no meningeal were negative. No of recent herpes

thalmicus. evidence patient. #{149}

in any analystudies

Chest

a

was no in any panels

radio-

angiotensin-converting

levels

were

normal.

No pa-

tient had a history of intravenous drug abuse. Although by these exclusionary criteria, PACNS does seem the plausible diagnosis, it is certainly

most con-

ceivable that the observed vascubitic changes could be the initial presentation of one of the systemic vascubitides, such as periarteritis nodosa, or one of the collagen vascular diseases. As previously discussed, a single case of SLE appearing as cerebral vasculitis in the absence of antecedent or synchronous

systemic

disease

reported (42). All patients hort responded favorably with prednisone and/or phamide. At this writing,

were

in remission

has

been

in our coto therapy cycbophosall patients

and

no patient

had

developed any manifestation of a systemic disease. Finally, it is highly unlikely that sarcoidosis was the cause of vascubitis in any of our patients because angiitic neurosarcoid has been reported only in patients with systemic sarcoidosis, which we were able to successfully exclude in our cohort

(2,46-49).

a.

b.

Figure

3. Patient 2. Images obtained in a 37-year-old patient with PACNS and a caudate hemorrhage. (a) SE 600/20 axial MR image reveals a focus of high intensity in the left caudate nucleus compatible with subacute hemorrhage. In addition, there is abnormal low signal intensity within the splenium of the corpus callosum, indicative of infarction. (b) Anteropostenor image obtained early during arteriography of the left common carotid artery reveals focal areas of narrowing involving the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (arrowhead) and the proximal segments of the anterior cerebral artery (solid arrow) and middle cerebral artery (open arrow), compatible with vasculitis.

Cababrese and Mallek (7) found the results of cerebral angiography to be abnormal in 84% of patients with PACNS, with classic findings of arteritis observed in 65%. False-negative angiograms in patients with PACNS are not uncommon, because this disease primarily affects the precapillamy arterioles (58), which are below the resolving capacity of cerebral angiography. Numerous cases of biopsyproved PACNS associated with nor-

mal

cerebral

One of the patients reported herein had biopsy-proved PACNS. Prior to establishing a presumptive diagnosis of cerebral vasculitis in the remaining

had lymphoproliferative disease or a history of malignancy. Because of the nonspecific nature of the angiographic findings in vascubi-

been

six patients, we excluded nonvasculitic vasculopathies to the best of our diagnostic capabilities. Specifically, our cohort was normotensive, and CSF analysis and MR and CT examination revealed no evidence of sub-

tis, no definite causal diagnosis could be made for these six patients without a brain biopsy. Nevertheless, after thorough clinical and laboratory investigation, PACNS was suggested as the presumptive diagnosis on the basis of exclusion. To be more specific, theme was no evidence of an infec-

infectious

arachnoid or

hemorrhage,

leptorneningeal

Volume

182

brain

disease. #{149} Number

1

tumor,

No

patient

artemiograms

been reported (20-22,59,60). to afflict small

in the Despite vessels,

have literature its predilection PACNS has

histopathobogically

shown

to

involve barge branches of the main cerebral arteries (2,61). In fact, for case 1 in their original description of nongranubomatous

the nervous Feigin tous

system,

(2) stated process

angiitis

Cravioto

“a severe

involved

of

and granuboma-

arteries

and

of varying caliber, from the die cerebral artery to the intraparenchymal vessels.” Cerebral angiographic findings in our six patients veins

Radiology

mid-

#{149} 69

with tient

presumed PACNS and one pawith proved PACNS were corn-

patible

with

those

in previous

reports

in the literature (4,6,13). Angiography revealed segmental, diffuse, bilateral disease rial and

that involved infratentorial

the supratentocirculations

mize

biopsy specimens from the frontal hemisphere

morbidity.

The

MR imaging,

are usulobe of the to mini-

leptomeningeab

which

revealed

a moderate-sized lesion in the deep white matter adjacent to the occipital horn of the left lateral ventricle (Fig 5). The lesion was not enhanced with contrast material on CT scans. Results of angiography at the time of MR irnaging were interpreted as negative. In retrospect, subtle regions of focal narmowing were detected in the distribution of the left posterior cerebral amtemy. Hence, this constellation of findings at the lime was suggestive of a bow-grade glioma. Brain biopsy of this lesion was then performed. Tissue analysis of the specimen revealed granubomatous angiilis of the cerebral vessels. 70

#{149} Radiology

by Valvanis case

case of tumor was

et ab (18).

mass

lesion

This

of granulomatous was seen on a CT

scan as a homogeneously and

biopsy is important in that cerebral vascubitis often has a predilection for the beptomeningeal vasculature. Although PACNS is a diffuse disease, it is segmental; hence, brain biopsy mesults can be negative. Three patients in the present study underwent brain biopsy, the results of which confirmed PACNS in only one. The false-negative results in two patients can be considered a sampling error. Both of these patients underwent right frontal lobe and leptomeningeal biopsy. It is interesting that MR examination in one of these patients (patient 2) revealed disease limited to the left hemisphere. Angiography in this patient did reveal vascubitis on the right side that was limited to the supraclinoid segment of the internal carotid artery and proximal segments of the anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery. In the second patient (patient 1), MR imaging also revealed much more extensive disease on the left side. In this case, however, the right carotid artery was not studied. The patient in our cohort who did have positive brain biopsy results (patient 6) was initially evaluated with

CT and

reported

dramatic a brain

biopsy-proved angiitis originally

vessels of all sizes. Only one patient had involvement in a single vascular distribution. It is our opinion that brain biopsy should be reserved for the group of patients in whom thorough clinical investigation, MR imaging, and angiography fail to explain an aquired neurologic deficit. Brain and leptomeningeab ably taken nondominant

An even more PACNS simulating

enhanced

involving

the

cortex

and

subcomtical white matter of the right temporal-occipital lobe. In addition, Johnson et ab (21) described the MR findings in a case of biopsy-proved PACNS that was seen as bilateral parietooccipitab mass lesions that crossed the splenium of the corpus callosum.

All patients were examined strength case

in the with

MR yielded

present study high-field-

imaging,

which

positive

findings.

in each A me-

dian interval of 5 days elapsed tween performing MR imaging performing

cerebral

five

of seven

was

performed

In no case

beand

angiography.

In

patients,

MR imaging

prior

to angiography.

were

steroids

or cytotoxic

agents administered before cerebral angiography. Steroid therapy was begun in only one case after angiography but before MR examination. It is unlikely that in these five patients the severity of cerebral vascubitis, as assessed at the time of angiography, was greater than at the time of MR imaging (a mean of 5 days earlier). Conversely, in the one untreated pa-

lient who underwent MR tion subsequent to cerebral

examinaangiogra-

phy, it is also unlikely that the brain lesions changed significantly in the interval. In addition, in this patient,

all of the ages

lesions

were

tamed

evident

present

several

on

days

on MR ima CT

prior

scan

ob-

to cerebral

angiography.

MR examination tive in all patients sistent

with

the

of PACNS, ease.

results were in this study, known

a diffuse

Common

pathogenesis

segmental

MR

dis-

findings

in our

patient cohort were numerous dian, six), bilateral, supratentorial farcts involving both gray matter. The exact mechanism farction, such as ischemia

nab encroachment

(mein-

and

white of infrom lumi-

or secondary

thrombotic occlusion, not discernible.

On

posicon-

was

MR images,

infarcts

obviously

were

most

commonly

seen in the deep white matter, including the corpus callosum and capsular tracts. Contrary to the findings of Miller et al (62), we saw no predisposition for the periventricubar

white

matter.

These

investigators

used a cohort that did graphic or biopsy-proved

The

cause

vascubilis was

systemic

of the in their

not

have angiovasculitis.

presumptive

cerebral

patient

collagen

population vascular

dis-

b. Figure

4. Patient 4. PACNS presenting as a solitary parenchymal hemorrhage. (a) SE axial 600/20 MR image reveals a large focus of high signal intensity in the right parietal lobe, indicative of a subacute hematoma. (b) Early arteriogram in the anteroposterior projection obtained during injection of the left vertebral artery shows multiple foci of narrowing (arrows) involving branches of the posterior cerebral arteries bilaterally, compatible with vasculitis.

ease. It seems possible that the ventricular lesions they described might in fact be the sequelae of vasculitic vascubopathy known cur in patients with this group eases,

particularly

SLE

pena nonto ocof dis-

(41).

January

1992

involves both rior circulations

latume.

The

the

anterior and of the cerebral

characteristic

postevascu-

findings

at

MR imaging are multiple, bilateral gray and white matter lesions that in this study were confined to the supratentoriab space. There appears to be no predisposition for the periventricubar region, although deep white matter lesions were common. PACNS can present somewhat atypically as primary parenchymal hemorrhage or simulate a primary brain tumor. Although MR images were positive in !4::i

all our

-

Figure 5. Patient 6. PACNS simulating a low-grade glioma. SE 3,000/80 axial MR image shows a moderate-sized focus of high signal intensity in the deep white matter of the left occipital lobe. The lesion exerts slight mass effect on the occipital horn of the left lateral ventricle. Biopsy of this lesion revealed granulomatous angiitis.

tion with angiographicabby proved vasculitis, however, no lesion in the corresponding vascular territory could be identified at MR imaging. Although MR images were positive in all patients with PACNS, extrapolation from these results suggests that cases of MR-negative PACNS are entimely possible. It is interesting that no infratentomial lesions were depicted with MR imaging despite cerebral angiogmaphy revealing evidence of vasculitis involving the posterior circulation in all patients. Our data suggest that positive findings on MR images might be used to tailor cerebral angiography in cases of “suspected vascubitis.” In summary, PACNS is a mare disease

that

diffusely

JMiimo1R9#{149}T%Jimhor1

and

segmentally

on the basis

of extrapola-

tion from our correlative angiographic data, it is possible that larger number of patients with rare disease are studied, there cases with normal MR images.

as a this may be

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Three separate hemorrhagic lesions were seen in three patients in our study. One of these lesions was a hemorrhagic cortical infarct associated with other nonhemorrhagic cortical infarcts, which most likely bled as a result of a reperfusional event. Another was a hemorrhage of indeterminate cause in the head of the caudate. The consequence of vessel wall rupture almost certainly was a large hemorrhage in the deep white matter of the might panietal lobe in the third patient. This case was extremely interesting in that this 14-year-old patient was first seen with a primary parenchymal hemorrhage as a single lesion. For every lesion identified at MR imaging, findings of cerebral vasculitis were positive at angiography in the corresponding vascular distribution. In 12 of 33 cases of vascular distnibu-

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Cerebral arabuse. Med

January

1992

Cerebral vasculitis: MR imaging and angiographic correlation.

Cerebral vasculitis is an unusual disorder with numerous causes. One such entity, noninfectious granulomatous angiitis of the nervous system (GANS), i...
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