In-vivo quantification of wall motion in cerebral aneurysms from 2D cine phase contrast magnetic resonance images.
OBJECTIVE
The quantification of wall motion in cerebral aneurysms is of interest for the assessment of aneurysmal rupture risk, for providing boundary conditions for computational simulations and as a validation tool for theoretical models.


METHODS
2D cine phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (2D pcMRI) in combination with quantitative magnetic resonance angiography (QMRA) was evaluated for measuring wall motion in 7 intracranial aneurysms. In each aneurysm, 2 (in one case 3) cross sections, oriented approximately perpendicular to each other, were measured.


RESULTS
The maximum aneurysmal wall distention ranged from 0.16 mm to 1.6 mm (mean 0.67 mm), the maximum aneurysmal wall contraction was -1.91 mm to -0.34 mm (mean 0.94 mm), and the average wall displacement ranged from 0.04 mm to 0.31 mm (mean 0.15 mm). Statistically significant correlations between average wall displacement and the shape of inflow curves (p-value < 0.05) were found in 7 of 15 cross sections; statistically significant correlations between the displacement of the luminal boundary center point and the shape of inflow curves (p-value < 0.05) were found in 6 of 15 cross sections.


CONCLUSIONS
2D pcMRI in combination with QMRA is capable of visualizing and quantifying wall motion in cerebral aneurysms. However, application of this technique is currently restricted by its limited spatial resolution.
Karmonik
C
C
Radiology, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA. ckarmonik@tmhs.org
Diaz
O
O
Grossman
R
R
Klucznik
R
R
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*