Basilar Artery Tortuosity Based On MRA Is Related To Age And Cerebral Infarction In The Distribution Of Basilar Atery

[Objectives]To quantify arteriosclerosis with tortuosity coefficient (TC), and obtain TC values from post process of cerebral magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images. Compare TC values among age groups and analyze the correlation between TC and cerebral infarction in the distribution of basilar artery in order to identify the value of TC reflecting arteriosclerosis and the change of basilar artery tortuosity of patients with basilar distribution infarction. [Methods]135 healthy check-up (19-80 years, male 90, female 45) and 42 patients with cerebral infarction (50-70years, male 28, female 14), who went to Qianfoshan hospital of Shandong province during 15.10.2008-15.4.2009, were selected. Then the check-up were divided into four groups according to age:groupⅠ(19-30 years,24), groupⅡ(31-50 years,30), groupⅢ(51-70 years,36), groupⅣ(70-80 years,45) Meanwhile, control group (51-70 years,36) and case group (51-70 years,48) were got. Each image was processed with PhotoshopCS 2 and Image J 1.41 software, separating basilar artery, inverting, thresholding, ANDing with horizontal lines prepared etc., to get coordinates, from which TC values were caculated with the help of Excel. Then the sofeware of SAS 9.1 was used to analyze TC values.[Results] 1. Differences between age groups were statistically significant except groupⅡandⅢ(F=10.31, p<0.01),which indicated that TC values increased with ages.2. Case group had greater TC value (2.497±1.2) than normal one (1.939±0.85) (t=2.39, p=0.0195)[Conclusion]1. Basilar artery tortuosity which was positively related to age. With aging, arteriosclerosis becomes more and more serious, which will cause reconstruction of blood vessel walls, shearing stress the vessel wall bore increasing, and so on. As a result, tortuosity of artery increases. Meanwhile, the more tortuous, the easier artery will suffer from stiffness. So, increasing of tortuosity and arteriosclerosis may be cause and effect of each other, and the degree of arteriosclerosis of basilar artery can be evaluated based on its TC values.2. Basilar artery tortuosity of patients with posterior circulation infarction increases. Increasing of artery tortuosity will lead to hypoperfusion, enhance thrombus formation, and reduce washout of emboli. Hypoperfusion and embolism are interrelated and complementary to promote and enhance brain infarction. For this reason, tortuosity of basilar artery may indicate the risk of suffering from basilar distribution infarction.