Cerebral cysticercotic arteritis: detection and follow-up by transcranial Doppler

Cerebrovasc Dis. 1998 Jan-Feb;8(1):2-7. doi: 10.1159/000015808.

Abstract

Intracranial arteritis is a well-known complication of cerebral cysticercosis. The aim of this study was to explore the possible role of transcranial Doppler (TCD) in the evaluation of cysticercotic arteritis in 9 patients with subarachnoid cysticercosis and stroke. Arteritis of main basal vessels was detected by TCD in 7 of 10 arterial lesions that were demonstrated by cerebral angiography. The Doppler pattern was occlusive in 2 cases and stenotic in 5. In the 3 patients with lacunar infarcts, both cerebral angiography and TCD were normal. In 6 arterial lesions followed serially with TCD a stenotic pattern resolved within 4 and 6 months in 3 cases and remained in the stenotic range at 12 months in 1 case, whereas an occlusive pattern persisted at 6 and 18 months in the other 2 cases. In conclusion, TCD may be useful to detect and follow up cerebral vasculitis due to chronic cysticercotic arachnoiditis.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Arteritis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Brain / blood supply
  • Brain / parasitology*
  • Cerebral Arteries / parasitology*
  • Cysticercosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Echoencephalography
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed