Intracranial aneurysms: diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional, Fourier transform, time-of-flight MR angiography.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the accuracy of three-dimensional, Fourier transform, time-of-flight magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in the identification of intracranial aneurysms.


METHODS
MR angiograms of 126 patients (59 male and 67 female patients, aged 12-77 years) with various intracranial vascular lesions were evaluated. Seventy-eight aneurysms, including 60 less than 5 mm in diameter, in 61 patients were depicted at conventional angiography. Eight projection images, as well as one axial collapsed MR angiogram obtained with a maximum-intensity projection algorithm, were used for evaluation.


RESULTS
Sensitivity for the five observers ranged from 58% to 68% (mean, 63%). Higher sensitivity was achieved for anterior communicating and middle cerebral artery aneurysms, while that for internal carotid artery aneurysms was poor. Sensitivities for small and medium aneurysms ranged from 50% to 60% (mean, 56%) and from 77% to 94% (mean, 86%), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
MR angiography can depict intracranial aneurysms 5 mm or larger with good accuracy but is less useful for the identification of smaller aneurysms.
Korogi
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
Takahashi
M
M
Mabuchi
N
N
Miki
H
H
Fujiwara
S
S
Horikawa
Y
Y
Nakagawa
T
T
O'Uchi
T
T
Watabe
T
T
Shiga
H
H
D000465:Algorithms; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity