Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Investigate Silent Strokes During Neck and Skull Angioplasty

Completed

Conditions studied: Brain Ischemia

In brief

This study will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine if silent strokes occur during angioplasty of the blood vessels in the neck or skull. Neck and skull angioplasties are relatively new procedures whose possible complications are still under investigation. Patients 18 years of age or older who are admitted to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, for angioplasty of one or more of the blood vessels in the neck or skull may participate in this study. Participants must be able to undergo a brain MRI. Within 24 hours before their angioplasty, patients will provide a medical history and have a physical examination and brain MRI. The physical examination and MRI will be repeated within 24 hours after the angioplasty. MRI is a diagnostic test that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to show structural and chemical changes in tissues. This technique is more sensitive than X-rays in detecting some changes that occur in diseases of the brain. For the procedure, the patient lies on a table that slides into a metal cylinder (the scanner). The confined space may produce anxiety in some patients, and patients can talk to the technician at all times during the procedure. Earplugs are provided to muffle loud knocking and pulsing noises that occur while the scanner is taking pictures. During the study, the contrast material gadolinium may be injected into an arm vein. Gadolinium "brightens" the pictures, producing better images of brain blood flow. Patients will be contacted by telephone 30 days after the procedure to follow how they are doing and learn whether any complications resulted from the angioplasty.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT00015717
Run by
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
People needed
24
Starts
2001-04-01
Expected to finish
2004-03-01
Last updated by the study team
2008-03-04

Who can join

Age: any. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

You may not qualify if…

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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