Definition of the key target volume in radiosurgical management of arteriovenous malformations: a new dynamic concept based on angiographic circulation time.
OBJECTIVE
The cumulative experience worldwide indicates complete radiosurgical obliteration rates of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) ranging from 35 to 90%. The purpose of this study was to propose a strategy to increase the obliteration rate for AVMs through the dynamic definition of the key target volume (KTV).


METHODS
A prospective series of patients harboring an AVM was assessed using digital subtraction angiography in which a digital counter was used to measure the several stages of the frame-by-frame circulation time. All the patients were analyzed using dynamic measurement planning to define the KTV, corresponding to the volume of the shunt with the least vascular resistance and the earliest venous drainage. All patients underwent catheter-based angiography, a subgroup was additionally assessed by means of a superselective catheterization, and among these a further subgroup received embolization. The shunts were also categorized according to their angioarchitectural type: fistulous, plexiform, or mixed. The authors applied the radiosurgery-based grading system (RBGS) as well to find a correlation with the obliteration rate.


RESULTS
This series includes 44 patients treated by radiosurgery; global angiography was performed for all patients, including dynamic measurement planning. Eighty-four percent of them underwent superselective catheterization, and 50% of the total population underwent embolization. In the embolized arm of the study, the pretreatment volume was up to 120 ml. In patients with a single treatment, the mean volume was 8.5 ml, and the median volume was 6.95 +/- 4.56 ml (mean +/- standard deviation), with a KTV of up to 15 ml. For prospectively staged radiosurgery, the mean KTV was 28 ml. The marginal radiation dose was 18-22 Gy, with a mean of dose 20 Gy. The mean RBGS score was 1.70. The overall obliteration rate was 91%, including the repeated radiosurgery group (4 patients), in which 100% showed complete obliteration. The overall permanent deficit was 2 of 44 patients, 1 in each group.


CONCLUSIONS
Dynamic definition of the KTV might increase the obliteration rate, even in complex AVMs, allowing the treatment of smaller volumes off the recruitment vessels (pseudonidus). By using this technique, the authors avoided double-blind treatment, where the neurosurgeon does not know precisely which type of lesion he or she is irradiating and the interventionalist does not know why and what he or she is embolizing.
Valle
Ramiro Del
RD
Center of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, Medica Sur Clinical Foundation, Mexico City, Mexico. rdelvalle@medicasur.org.mx
Zenteno
Marco
M
Jaramillo
José
J
Lee
Angel
A
De Anda
Salvador
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016634:Radiosurgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult