Detection and Characterization of Intracranial Aneurysms with Dual-Energy Subtraction CTA: Comparison with DSA.
BACKGROUND
to investigate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy subtraction CTA in evaluating intracranial aneurysms by comparison with DSA.


METHODS
ninety-seven patients with suspected intracranial aneurysms were included into our study and completed both 64-section dual-energy subtraction CTA and DSA examinations. Two independent readers retrospectively reviewed all subtraction CTA images in a blinded manner. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of subtraction CTA and DSA were calculated on a per-patient and per-aneurysm basis.


RESULTS
according to the reference standard, 96 aneurysms were present in 81 patients and no aneurysm was found in 16 patients. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of subtraction CTA on a per-aneurysm basis were 98.9, 100, 100 and 94.1%, respectively. DSA prospectively detected 88 aneurysms in 79 of 81 patients. On a per-aneurysm basis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of DSA were 91.7, 100, 100 and 66.7%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
the diagnostic accuracy of 64-section dual-energy subtraction CTA is promising in detection and characterization of intracranial aneurysms. In most cases, it may substitute for conventional DSA as the primary imaging method in the diagnostic work-up of intracranial aneurysms.
Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Fajin
F
Lv
Qi
Q
Li
Jingmin
J
Liao
Tianyou
T
Luo
Yun
Y
Shen
Jialun
J
Li
John
J
Zhang
Peng
P
Xie
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult