L'Angio-TC del circolo intracranico nella patologia cerebro-vascolare

The assessment of the etiology of cerebro-vascular diseases (atherosclerotic plaques, vascular stenosis) with DSA is difficult and invasive, while, on the contrary, CT and MRI allow easy visualization of the acute and chronic sequaeles of cerebro-vascular deseases.

In the last years, techniques alternative to DSA, such as MR-Angiography (MRA) have been developed; the recent volumetric approach in CT (Spiral-CT) provided with new possibilities for CT-Angiography (CTA).

The conceptual similarity (i.e. the volumetric approach) with the MR 3D techniques, and the short time for data acquisition allowed to transfer to CTA the whole post-processing modalities of MRA, as 3D MIP and 3D SSD. In the near future the further development of virtual endoscopy will make possible an affordable direct intravascular investigation of vessels lumen.