Pediatric Cerebrovascular Disease—Advances in Clinical Diagnosis, Management and Imaging

Dear Colleagues,

Pediatric cerebrovascular disease encompasses a diverse group of conditions, including arteriovenous malformations, moyamoya disease, cerebral venous thrombosis, and stroke, which remain a significant yet under-recognized cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Over the last two decades, there has been rapid progression in neuroimaging techniques, minimally invasive interventions, genetic testing, and biomarker identification, which has transformed our ability to manage this complex set of pathologies. These advances have reshaped clinical paradigms, allowing for more precise differentiation of underlying etiologies such as inflammatory disorders, arteriopathies, and inherited metabolic or coagulation abnormalities. 

At the same time, targeted advances in surgical, endovascular, and medical treatment have improved outcomes. Emerging evidence supports the use of tailored anticoagulation and antiplatelet medications, systematic perioperative care in revascularization procedures, and multi-disciplinary models that integrate collaboration between neurology, neurosurgery, hematology, anesthesiology, genetics, radiology, and rehab medicine. Novel imaging techniques, such as advanced 4D flow MRI, improved vessel structure imaging, and quantitative perfusion imaging, offer better insight into cerebrovascular pathologies and help guide management.

This Special Issue brings together current research and expert perspectives to highlight these advances, address ongoing challenges, and outline future directions in the diagnosis and management of pediatric cerebrovascular disease.

The aim and scope of this Special Issue are as follows:

1. To provide an overview of pediatric cerebrovascular pathologies and current management;
2. To present advances in pediatric stroke;
3. To address advances in pediatric neuroimaging techniques;
4. To discuss the management of pediatric vascular malformations (an overview of surgical, endovascular, and radiation/gamma knife options);
5. To explore genetics and biomarkers in pediatric moyamoya disease;
6. To develop a team-based approach to pediatric cerebrovascular disease management;
7. To showcase advances in techniques or devices for the management of pediatric cerebrovascular conditions.

We welcome paper submissions from neurologists, neurosurgeons, neurointerventionalists, neonatologists, anesthesiologists, and rehab specialists with expertise in the management and treatment of pediatric cerebrovascular conditions.

Dr. Shivani D. Rangwala
Dr. Soliman Oushy
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.