Purpose: In a case with moyamoya disease, we found the magnetic resonance image and magnetic angiographic studies were helpful for the definite diagnosis of the disease.
Case report: A young adult presented limb-shaking transient ischemic attacks caused by moyamoya disease. The magnetic resonance angiography proved the steno-occlusive lesions in the major arteries of circle of Willis, and the magnetic resonance images demonstrated compensatively congested and dilated leptomeningeal vessels and lenticulostriate arteries with exhausted vasomotor elasticity.
Conclusion: In this case, without the aid of conventional angiography, the noninvasive magnetic resonance studies offered explicit imaging evidence to support the diagnosis and to illuminate the patient's clinical manifestation.