Evaluation of aortoiliac aneurysm before endovascular repair: comparison of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography with multidetector row computed tomographic angiography with an automated analysis software tool.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess accuracy and reliability of a volumetric analysis of abdominal aneurysms on the basis of multidetector row computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) with a commercially available automated vessel analysis software program.


METHODS
Twenty patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms underwent preoperative CTA and MRA before endovascular repair. Postdeployment CTA was performed in 15 of these 20 patients (75%). All preoperative CTA and MRA and postdeployment CTA data sets were analyzed with an automated software tool. The length of the stent grafts on postdeployment CTA was measured and compared with the true length of the primary component. Two readers independently evaluated 13 vessel parameters on preoperative CTA and MRA, which are considered to be important in planning stent graft deployment.


RESULTS
With the automated analysis software tool, all measurements could be performed on either CTA or MRA data sets. There was no statistically significant difference between postdeployment measurements of stent graft length on CTA and the true dimensions of the implanted stent grafts. Interobserver agreement for all of the measurements with either CTA or MRA was good to excellent (interclass coefficient, 0.71 to 0.99) with only minimal mean differences of measured dimensions between both readers (range, -2.0 to +2.3 mm, Bland-Altman). Intermodality agreement between CTA and MRA was good to excellent (interclass coefficient, 0.62 to 0.98) with small mean differences of measured dimensions between both methods (range, -4.1 to +2.1 mm, Bland-Altman).


CONCLUSIONS
Volumetric measurement with an automated analysis software tool allows a fast, precise, and reliable noninvasive preoperative determination of all aortic dimensions on the basis of either CTA or MRA data sets.
Lutz
Amelie M
AM
Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital, Rämistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
Willmann
Jürgen K
JK
Pfammatter
Thomas
T
Lachat
Mario
M
Wildermuth
Simon
S
Marincek
Borut
B
Weishaupt
Dominik
D
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017543:Iliac Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media