Visualization of lenticulostriate artery by intracranial dark-blood vessel wall imaging and its relationships with lacunar infarction in basal ganglia: a retrospective study

Objectives There is close relationship between lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs) and lacunar infarctions (LIs) of the basal ganglia. The study aims to visualize the LSAs using high-resolution vessel wall imaging (VWI) on 3T system and explore the correlation between LSAs and LIs. Methods Fifty-six patients with LIs in basal ganglia, and 44 age-matched control patients were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. The raw VWI images were reformatted into coronal slices in minimum intensity projection for further observation of LSAs. The risk factors of LIs in basal ganglia were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The correlation and linear regression analysis between the LSAs and LIs, ipsilateral MCA-M1 plaques were investigated. Results The total number (p < 0.01) and length (p < 0.01) of LSAs were statistically different between basal ganglias with and without LIs. The total number of LSAs and ipsilateral MCA-M1 plaques were independently related to LIs in basal ganglias. The mean length of LSAs were negatively correlated with number (r = - 0.33, p = 0.002) and volume (r = - 0.37, p = 0.001) of LIs. Age, drinking history, and mean length of LSAs were associated with LI occurrence in basal ganglia, and mean length of LSAs was correlated with larger volume of LIs. Conclusions Number of LSA reduction and ipsilateral MCA-M1 plaques were associated with the presence of LIs in basal ganglias. Age increasing, drinking history, and shorter LSAs were correlated with the increasing of LIs.

Automated summary

There is a close relationship between LSAs and LIs in the basal ganglia, with the number and length of LSAs being statistically different in basal ganglias with and without LIs. The total number of LSAs and ipsilateral MCA-M1 plaques were independently related to LIs, and the mean length of LSAs was negatively correlated with the number and volume of LIs. Age, drinking history, and mean length of LSAs were associated with LI occurrence in the basal ganglia, with shorter LSAs correlated with larger volume of LIs.