Tag: cerebral angiography

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Three-Dimensional Morphological Change of Intracranial Aneurysms Before and Around Rupture

Neurosurgery 94:1211–1217, 2024

Patients with an unruptured intracranial aneurysm often undergo periodic imaging to detect potential aneurysm growth, which is associated with an increased rupture risk. Because prediction of rupture based on growth is moderate, morphological changes have gained interest as a risk factor for rupture. We studied 3-dimensionalquantified morphological changes over time during radiological monitoring before rupture and around rupture.

METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we identified aneurysms that ruptured during follow-up, with imaging available for at least 2 time points before rupture and one after rupture. For each time point, we obtained 8 morphological parameters: 2-dimensional size, volume, surface area, compactness 1 and 2, sphericity, elongation, and flatness. Morphological changes before rupture and around rupture were log-transformed, scaled, and analyzed with linear mixed-effects models.

RESULTS: We included 16 aneurysms in 16 patients who were imaged between 2004 and 2021. In the time period before rupture (median follow-up duration 1200 days, IQR 736-1340), 3 size-related morphological parameters increased: 2-dimensional size (estimated mean change 0.44, 95% CI 0.24-0.65), volume (estimated mean change 0.34, 95% CI 0.12-0.56), and surface area (0.33, 95% CI 0.11-0.54). In the period around rupture (median follow-up duration 407 days, IQR 148-719), these parameters further increased. In addition, 5 morphological parameters (compactness 1 and 2, sphericity, elongation, and flatness) decreased around rupture but not before rupture.

CONCLUSION: Change in aneurysm volume and surface area may be novel risk factors for rupture. Because most morphological parameters changed around but not before rupture, morphological changes during these 2 periods should be regarded as different processes. This implies that postrupture morphology should not be used as a surrogate for prerupture morphology in rupture prediction models.

 

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Prerupture Intracranial Aneurysm Morphology in Predicting Risk of Rupture

Neurosurgery 84:132–140, 2019

Maximal size and other morphological parameters of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are used when deciding if an IA should be treated prophylactically. These parameters are derived from postrupture morphology. As time and rupture may alter the aneurysm geometry, possiblemorphological predictors of a rupture should be established in prerupture aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: To identify morphological parameters of unruptured IAs associated with later rupture.

METHODS: Nationwide matched case-control study. Twelve IAs that later ruptured were matched 1:2 with 24 control IAs that remained unruptured during a median follow-up time of 4.5 (interquartile range, 3.7-8.2) yr. Morphological parameters were automatically measured on 3-dimensional models constructed from angiograms obtained at time of diagnosis. Cases and controls were matched by aneurysm location and size, patient age and sex, and the PHASES (population, hypertension, age, size of aneurysm, earlier subarachnoid hemorrhage from another aneurysm, and site of aneurysm) score did not differ between the 2 groups.

RESULTS: Only inflow angle was significantly different in cases vs controls in univariate analysis (P = .045), and remained significant in multivariable analysis. Maximal size correlated with size ratio in both cases and controls (P = .015 and <.001, respectively). However, maximal size and inflow angle were correlated in cases but not in controls (P = .004. and .87, respectively).

CONCLUSION: A straighter inflow angle may predispose an aneurysm to changes that further increase risk of rupture. Traditional parameters of aneurysm morphology may be of limited value in predicting IA rupture.

 

 

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Results for a Series of 697 Arteriovenous Malformations Treated by Gamma Knife

AVM frontal

Neurosurgery 75:568–583, 2014

Stereotactic radiosurgery (RS) is an effective tool in treating brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Careful study of AVM angiographic characteristics may improve results.

OBJECTIVE: To report the long-term outcomes of Gamma Knife RS (GKRS) in brain AVMs, focusing on how the angioarchitectural and hemodynamic parameters of AVMs affect the post-RS results.

METHODS: This was a retrospective, longitudinal study of 697 consecutive GKRS treatments of brain AVMs in 662 patients performed at a single center between 1993 and 2005. The mean age of the patients was 37 years; the median AVM volume was 3.6 cm3; and the mean follow-up was 11 years. Forty-five percent of patients presented with intracranial hemorrhage; 44% underwent embolization; and 7% had multiple RSs. AVM characteristics in the RS-planning angiograms were analyzed, and their relationship to the post-RS obliteration rate was determined by univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS: The obliteration rate after a single RS was 69.3%; after multiple RS, it was 75%. Positive predictors of obliteration included compact nidus (odds ratio = 3.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.92-5.22), undilated feeders (odds ratio = 0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.23-0.57), smaller AVM volume (odds ratio = 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.92-0.99), and higher marginal dose (odds ratio = 1.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.27). Improvement or clinical stability was observed in 89.3% of patients; postprocedural bleeding was noted in 6.1%; and clinical worsening attributable to RS was seen in 3.8%. The annual risk of hemorrhage in the 4 years after RS was 1.2%.

CONCLUSION: GKRS yielded a good long-term clinical outcome in most patients. Certain angiographic features of brain AVMs such as a well-defined nidus and undilated feeder arteries contribute to AVM occlusion by RS. GKRS can be regarded as the treatment of choice for AVMs <6 cm3, even after bleeding.

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Infundibular dilation and aneurysm at the origin of the posterior communicating artery: differential diagnosis by CT angiography

Infundibular dilation and aneurysm at the origin of the posterior communicating artery- differential diagnosis by CT angiography

Neuroradiology (2014) 56:917–923

Infundibular dilation (ID) and aneurysm at the internal carotid artery (ICA)–posterior communicating artery (PComA) junction can be difficult to distinguish but may differ in clinical significance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of CT angiography (CTA) in differentially diagnosing IDs and small unruptured aneurysms at the ICA– PComA junction.

Methods This retrospective study comprised 88 patients diagnosed with 107 protrusions (70 IDs and 37 aneurysms <5 mm; 19 bilateral lesions) at the ICA–PComA junction who underwent both CTA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Two neuroradiologists independently reviewed CTA and DSA images according to these criteria: (a) size (maximum dimension <3 or ≥3 mm), (b) shape (triangular or round/ oval/irregular), (c) aneurysmal neck (absent or present), (d) horizontal direction (posteriomedial or posteriolateral), and (e) PComA origin (apex, no PComA, or base). The intermodality (between CTA and DSA) and interobserver (between the two readers) agreement were determined for each finding.We also evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of CTA for distinguishing ID and aneurysm, using DSA as the reference standard.

Results The mean κ values of intermodality agreement for the size, shape, aneurysmal neck, horizontal direction, and PComA origin were 0.88, 0.87, 0.84, 0.71, and 0.56, respectively. All interobserver agreements of CTA and DSA were excellent. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CTA for differentiating aneurysms from IDs were 94.6, 100, and 98.0 %, respectively.

Conclusion CTA may be a useful noninvasive modality for differential diagnosis of ID and aneurysm at the ICA–PComA junction.

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Small (< 10-mm) incidentally found intracranial aneurysms, Part 2: treatment recommendations, natural history, complications, and short-term outcome in 212 consecutive patients

Neurosurg Focus 31 (6):E4, 2011. DOI: 10.3171/2011.9.FOCUS11237

The management of incidental small unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) is controversial and many factors need to be considered in the decision-making process. The authors describe a large consecutive series of patients harboring small incidental intracranial aneurysms. Treatment strategy, natural history, complications, and short-term outcomes are presented.

Methods. Between January 2008 and May 2011, the authors prospectively evaluated 212 patients with 272 small (< 10-mm) incidental aneurysms. Treatment recommendations (observation, endovascular treatment, or surgery), complications of treatment, and short-term outcomes were assessed.

Results. Recommended treatment consisted of observation in 125 patients, endovascular embolization in 64, and surgery in 18. Six patients were excluded from further analysis because they underwent treatment elsewhere. In the observation group, at a mean follow-up of 16.7 months, only 1 patient was moved to the embolization group. Seven (6%) of the 125 patients in the observation group died of causes unrelated to aneurysm. Sixty-five patients underwent 69 embolization procedures. The periprocedural permanent morbidity and mortality rates in patients undergoing endovascular treatment were 1.5% and 1.5%, respectively (overall morbidity and mortality rate 3.0%). In the surgery group no periprocedural complications were observed, although 1 patient did not return to her previous occupation. No aneurysmal rupture was documented in any of the 3 treatment groups during the follow-up period.

Conclusions. A cautious and individualized approach to incidental UIAs is of utmost importance for formulation of a safe and effective treatment algorithm. Invasive treatment (either endovascular or surgery) can be considered in selected younger patients, certain “higher-risk” locations, expanding aneurysms, patients with a family history of aneurysmal hemorrhage, and in those who cannot live their lives knowing that they harbor the UIA. Although the complication rate of invasive treatment is very low, it is not negligible. The study confirms that small incidental UIAs deemed to be not in need of treatment have a very benign short-term natural history, which makes observation a reasonable approach in selected patients.

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