Posted by Kevin Low on September 17, 2003 at 14:26:47:
Well my granddaughter finally had the angiogram at the University of Michigan that all the doctors consulted have agreed she needed for several weeks now. We anticipated that this test would confirm the moyamoya diagnosis and would help determine the type of surgery, which would be the best treatment for her.
However, we are now just as confused as ever. This test showed that the left carotid artery which had shown significant further narrowing in her follow-up MRA done in late July (which led to the moyamoya diagnosis), was in fact NOT narrowed any further from the original MRA done after her stroke in May! It was determined originally that this artery was narrowed at approximately 50%. The test did confirm apparently some narrowing of the some of the other arteries however although apparently not any further since the test after the stroke.
The doctors at U of M do not think now that the moyamoya diagnosis was correct. That is the good news. The bad news is we are back to square one, that being they have no explanation for why the stroke occurred, why at some of these arteries are narrowed and don't "think" she is in any immediate danger of another stroke. Therefore, can't really predict if it may happen again or know what to recommend for treatment at this point other than to "monitor" her periodically.
Obviously her parents are not comfortable just waiting and praying nothing further happens and have scheduled a trip next week to Boston to have Dr. Scott review and give them a second opinion. If he agrees that this is not moyamoya, hopefully he will have a recomendation on how to proceed from this point.