Role of imaging in diagnosis of opening of Willis circle and IS forms in internal carotid artery severe stenosis or occlusion

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-0126.2015.09.003

Abstract：Objective To study the collateral circulation compensation of Willis circle and forms of ischemic stroke in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICD) due to internal carotid ar‐tery severe stenosis or occlusion .Methods Ninety‐eight patients with ICD due to severe internal carotid artery stenosis or occlusion admitted to our hospital from March 2012 to March 2014 were divided into intracranial ICD group (n=11) ,extracranial ICD group (n=40) ,and intracranial+extracranial ICD group (n=47) according to their CTA or MRA .The collateral branch opening of Willis circle and forms of ischemic stroke were analyzed in 3 groups .Results No significant difference in the incidence of colletral branch opening of Willis cicircle was found in 3 groups (P>0 .05) .The incidence of cortical ischemic stroke was significantly higher in extracranial ICD group than in intracranial+extracranial ICD group (44 .00% vs 13 .64% ,P=0 .023) ,that of watershed ischemic stroke was significantly higher in intracranial + extracranial ICD group than in extracra‐nial ICD group (59 .09% vs 28 .00% ,P=0 .031) ,and that of massive ischemic stroke was signifi‐cantly lower in patients with their anterior communicating artery opened than in those with their anterior communicating artery not opened (4 .00% vs 23 .08% ,P=0 .048) .Conclusion No signif‐icant difference is found in the opening forms of Willis cicircle ,w hich suggests that a variety of mechanisms are involved in the occurrence of ischemic stroke .However ,the opening of anterior communicating artery can reduce the incidence of massive ischemic stroke .