Imaging diagnosis of intracranial artery dissections: visualization of the vessel walls on high-resolution vessel wall imaging

MRI is a non-invasive imaging modality with a high contrast resolution useful in diagnosing intracranial artery dissections. However, conventional MRI techniques, including time-of-flight MR angiography or basi-parallel anatomical scanning provide only limited information because they focus on imaging findings rather than the vessel walls. A newly devised MRI technique, high-resolution vessel wall imaging (HRVWI), enables direct visualization of vessel wall and therefore more accurate diagnosis. With increasing use of HRVWI, physicians need to understand the clinical indications, MR sequences for assessment, optimization of acquisition parameters, and limitations in the interpretation of images. For precise interpretation of images, physicians should be aware of the pathological condition of intracranial artery dissection and its radiological findings. In this review, we provide an overview and principles of MRI assessment used for intracranial artery dissection paying special attention to its pathological findings and radiological presentations on HRVWI.