2D Cine Phase-Contrast MRI for Volume Flow Evaluation of the Brain-Supplying Circulation in Moyamoya Disease

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and quantify hemodynamic compromise in patients with moyamoya disease by measuring blood volume flow in the brain-supplying arteries. Thirty-five patients with angiographically proven moyamoya disease (31 women, 4 men; mean age, 39.4 +/- 12.2 years; range, 15-58 years; adult moyamoya disease) and 15 age-matched healthy controls were examined prospectively with 2D cine phase-contrast MRI. Blood volume flow was measured in both common carotid arteries (CCAs), both internal carotid arteries (ICAs), and the basilar artery. The diagnosis of moyamoya disease was based on results of selective intraarterial digital subtraction angiography. Blood volume flow of the brain-supplying arteries in age-matched controls was 435.6 +/- 47.9 mL/min for the CCA, 254.1 +/- 25.3 mL/min for the ICA, and 173.3 +/- 13.2 mL/min for the basilar artery. Patients with bilateral moyamoya disease had decreased mean blood flow in the CCA (309.4 +/- 89.9 mL/min) and ICA (117.9 +/- 64.0 mL/min) and increased blood volume flow in the basilar artery (433.7 +/- 165.9 mL/min). Moyamoya disease causes a significant decrease in carotid artery circulation, particularly ICA blood volume flow, with a compensatory increase in blood flow in the basilar artery to nearly 2.5 times normal basilar artery blood flow. 2D cine phase-contrast MRI with measurement of blood volume flow in the brain-supplying arteries is useful in the initial evaluation of moyamoya disease and in continuing assessment of hemodynamics in patients with this disease.