Involvement of the Posterior Intracranial Circulation in Giant Cell Arteritis

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common primary vasculitis affecting the elderly population. GCA preferentially involves the extracranial branches of the carotid artery with sparing of intracranial vessels (Wilkinson and Russell,1972). Occlusive vasculitis or embolization of inflammatory thrombus can result in ischemic stroke, found in approximately 2-4% of GCA patients. One series reported an incidence of 2.8%, mainly in the posterior circulation, and found that vertebrobasilar stroke was often accompanied by arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Gonzalez-Gay et al., 2009). This study determined the prevalence of posterior intracranial vasculitis in a largeGiant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common primary vasculitis affecting the elderly population. GCA preferentially involves the extracranial branches of the carotid artery with sparing of intracranial vessels (Wilkinson and Russell, 1972). Occlusive vasculitis or embolization of inflammatory thrombus can result in ischemic stroke, found in approximately 2-4% of GCA patients. One series reported an incidence of 2.8%, mainly in the posterior circulation, and found that vertebrobasilar stroke was often accompanied by arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Gonzalez-Gay et al., 2009). This study determined the prevalence of posterior intracranial vasculitis in a largeGiant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common primary vasculitis affecting the elderly population. GCA preferentially involves the extracranial branches of the carotid artery with sparing of intracranial vessels (Wilkinson and Russell, 1972). Occlusive vasculitis or embolization of inflammatory thrombus can result in ischemic stroke, found in approximately 2-4% of GCA patients. One series reported an incidence of 2.8%, mainly in the posterior circulation, and found that vertebrobasilar stroke was often accompanied by arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Gonzalez-Gay et al., 2009). This study determined the prevalence of posterior intracranial vasculitis in a largeGiant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common primary vasculitis affecting the elderly population. GCA preferentially involves the extracranial branches of the carotid artery with sparing of intracranial vessels (Wilkinson and Russell, 1972). Occlusive vasculitis or embolization of inflammatory thrombus can result in ischemic stroke, found in approximately 2-4% of GCA patients. One series reported an incidence of 2.8%, mainly in the posterior circulation, and found that vertebrobasilar stroke was often accompanied by arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Gonzalez-Gay et al., 2009). This study determined the prevalence of posterior intracranial vasculitis in a large series of patients with GCA undergoing contrast-enhanced MRI focused on intra- and extracranial vessels.