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Background A superselective (SS) arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI technique can be used to monitor the revascularization area as a supplementary or alternative modality to digital subtraction angiography (DSA), with the advantage of being noninvasive. Purpose To evaluate whether SS-ASL perfusion MRI could be used to visualize the revascularization area after combined direct and indirect bypass surgery in adults with moyamoya disease compared with DSA. Materials and Methods Patients diagnosed with moyamoya disease who underwent DSA and SS-ASL 6 months after surgery between June 2017 and November 2019 in a single institution were retrospectively evaluated. Subjective grading of the revascularization area and collateral grading in 10 Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) locations were performed. The change in perfusion status in a subgroup that underwent both preoperative and postoperative SS-ASL studies was evaluated. Intermodality agreement was analyzed by using weighted κ statistics. Results Thirty-seven hemispheres from 33 patients (mean age, 39 years ± 12 standard deviation; 20 women) were evaluated. The intermodality agreement of the revascularization area grading was substantial (weighted κ = 0.70; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.37, 1.00). The overall intermodality agreement of the postoperative collateral grading in the 10 ASPECTS locations for all vessels was substantial (weighted κ = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.80). For the presence of postoperative collateral supplied by the ipsilateral external carotid artery in 10 ASPECTS locations (a total of 370 locations) using DSA as a reference test, the SS-ASL showed a sensitivity of 92% (183 of 199 locations; 95% CI: 87%, 95%) and a specificity of 83% (142 of 171 locations; 95% CI: 77%, 88%). The overall intermodality agreement of the changes in perfusion status was moderate (weighted κ = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.54, 0.65). Conclusion Superselective arterial spin labeling imaging precisely depicted the revascularization territory in patients with moyamoya disease who underwent bypass surgery, and it showed the changes in the vascular supplying territories before and after bypass surgery. © RSNA, 2020 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Hendrikse in this issue.
Hwang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.