Value of vascular assessment in patients with transient ischemic attack

Objective To study the value of TCD ultrasonography,color Doppler ultrasonography and DSA for vascular assessment in patients with tromsient ischemic attack(TIA).Methods Seventy-eight TIA patients underwent TCD ultrasonography,color Doppler ultrasonography and DSA.The findings in TCD ultrasonography,color Doppler ultrasonography and DSA were analyzed with DSA as the golden criteria.Results DSA showed intracranial or extracranial artery stenosis in 65patients.The incidence of intracranial artery stenosis was higher than that of extracranial artery stenosis(52.2%vs 47.8%).The incidence of severe intracranial or extracranial artery stenosis or occlusion was higher in patients with frequent TIA than in those with infrequent TIA(P=0.011).TCD ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography showed abnormal blood vessels in 61patients(78.2%)and in 54patients(69.2%)as compared with those detected by DSA(86.2%and 61.6%).The vertebral artery stenosis or occlusion detection rate was lower by color Doppler ultrasonography than by DSA.Conclusion Intracranial or extracranial artery stenosis or occlusion is the main cause of TIA.TCD ultrasonography,color Doppler ultrasonography and DSA can show the cause of TIA and contribute to its treatment.