Fibromuscular dysplasia of arteries of the head and neck: imaging findings

Abstract

Cephalocervical fibromuscular dysplasia is an uncommon vascular disease that affects less than 1% of the population. Although often an incidental finding, patients may present with transient ischemic attacks, cerebral infarctions, or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Fibromuscular dysplasia is usually diagnosed in the fourth or fifth decade of life; it occurs in women more often than in men and in whites more frequently than in blacks. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the broad spectrum of neuroimaging findings seen on CT scans, MR images, and angiograms of patients with cephalocervical fibromuscular dysplasia. The value of MR imaging in distinguishing tubular fibromuscular dysplasia from arterial dissection and arterial hypoplasia is demonstrated.