. 2007 Feb 7;78(11):1218–1225. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2006.111716

Table 1 Important characteristics of the included studies.

Author	Year subjects recruited	Disease group*	Imaging modality	No of subjects (arteries)	Prospective	Consecutive	Imaging technique stated	Blind assessment of imaging	Method of derivation of stenosis stated	Vessel compared	Degree of stenosis compared (%)
Ackerstaff 1984¹⁵	1981–1982	E	Duplex without colour	82 (103)	No	No	Yes	No‐Duplex	Yes	VAO	1–99, 100
Ackerstaff 1984¹⁵	1981–1982	E	Duplex without colour	82 (103)	No	No	Yes	Yes‐ IAA	Yes	VAO	1–99, 100
Ackerstaff 1988¹⁶	1983–1987	E	Duplex without colour	Nm (239)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	VAO, V₁	0–49, 50–99, 100
Visona 1986²⁵	1981–1983	B, C, D	Duplex without colour	25 (30)	Yes	No	No	No	Yes‐Duplex	VAO	0, 50–99, 100
Visona 1986²⁵	1981–1983	B, C, D	Duplex without colour	25 (30)	Yes	No	No	No	No‐IAA	VAO	0, 50–99, 100
De Bray 2001¹⁹	1996–1998	A, B, D	Colour duplex	158 (316)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes‐Duplex	ECVA	0, 1–29, 30–49, 50–69, 70–99, 100
De Bray 2001¹⁹	1996–1998	A, B, D	Colour duplex	158 (316)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No‐IAA	ECVA	0, 1–29, 30–49, 50–69, 70–99, 100
Harrer 2004²⁶	NM	C, D	2D and 3D Colour duplex	6 (6)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	VAO	<30, 30–69, >70 (raw data)
Wentz 1994²⁷	NM	E	Non‐contrast MRA	60 (161)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	ICVA and BA data merged	0, <50, 50–75, >75, 100
Strotzer 1998²³	NM	E	Non‐contrast MRA	40 (80)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes‐MRA	No‐MRA	VAO	⩾50
Strotzer 1998²³	NM	E	Non‐contrast MRA	40 (80)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No‐IAA	Yes‐IAA	VAO	⩾50
Leclerc 1998²⁰	1997	A, B	CE‐MRA 3D	27 (50)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	ECVA	0, <50, 50–70, >70, 100
Randoux 2003²⁴	2000–2001	C	CE‐MRA	33 (66)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	VAO	0,<50, >50, 100
Cosottini 2003²¹	NM	A, B	CE‐MRA	48 (89)	Yes	No	Yes‐MRA	Yes	No	ECVA	0, <30, 30–70, >70, 100
Cosottini 2003²¹	NM	A, B	CE‐MRA	48 (89)	Yes	No	No‐IAA	Yes	No	ECVA	0, <30, 30–70, >70, 100
Kim 2005²⁸	NM	D, E	CE‐MRA	37 (74)	Yes	No	Yes‐ MRA	No	Yes	ECVA	>50, 100
Kim 2005²⁸	NM	D, E	CE‐MRA	37 (74)	Yes	No	No‐IAA	No	Yes	ECVA	>50, 100
Yang 2005¹⁷	2001–2002	A, B, E	CE‐MRA	40 (unclear)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	ECVA, ICVA, BA	>50, 100
Farres 1996²²	NM	A	CTA	24 (44 for V₁, 33 for V₀)	No	No	Yes	No	No	V₀, V₁ (incomplete data for V₀)	<50, 50–70, >70, 100

BA, basilar artery; CE‐MRA, contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography; Consecutive, patients recruited consecutively into the study; CTA, computed tomographic angiography; ECVA, extracranial vertebral artery; IAA, intra‐arterial angiography; ICVA, intracranial vertebral artery; MRA, magnetic resonance angiography; NM, not mentioned; Prospective, prospective recruitment of patients; TIA, transient ischaemic attack; VAO, vertebral artery origin.

The number of vessels compared excludes the number of vessels not seen.

*Disease group: A = posterior circulation stroke or TIA, probably due to atheromatous disease; B = stroke or TIA, probably due to atheromatous disease (anterior circulation stroke or unspecified territory); C = risk factors for cerebrovascular disease; D = healthy individuals; E = other (including not mentioned, suspected atheromatous disease and neurological symptoms without stating vascular history).