Follow-up of coiled intracranial aneurysms: comparison of 3D time-of-flight MR angiography at 3T and 1.5T in a large prospective series.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to compare 3D TOF-MRA sequences at 3T and 1.5T in the follow-up of coiled aneurysms. The follow-up of coiled intracranial aneurysms is mandatory to depict potential recanalization. 3D-TOF MRA is an appropriate tool for this purpose.


METHODS
DSA and 3D TOF-MRA at 1.5T and 3T were performed in a prospective series of 126 aneurysms in 96 patients (58 women, 38 men; age, 25-75 years; mean, 51.3 ± 11.3 years). DSA was the reference standard to which the accuracy of 3D TOF-MRA was compared. The quality of aneurysm occlusion was assessed independently and anonymously by a core lab by using a 3-grade scale (total occlusion, neck remnant, and aneurysm remnant). Adequate occlusion was defined as total occlusion or neck remnant and used in a 2-grade scale: adequate occlusion/aneurysm remnant.


RESULTS
With DSA, total occlusion was depicted in 58 aneurysms (46.0%); neck remnant, in 33 aneurysms (26.2%); and aneurysm remnant, in 35 aneurysms (27.8%). Adequate occlusion was seen in 91 cases (72.2%). A remnant (aneurysm or neck) was depicted in 68 cases (54.0%). For the 3 imaging techniques and regardless of scale used, the interobserver agreement was always greater at 3T than at 1.5T. SE and NPV for the prediction of aneurysm remnant versus adequate occlusion were higher at 3T than at 1.5T (SE 3T, 0.74; SE 1.5T, 0.54; NPV 3T, 0.90; NPV 1.5T, 0.85).


CONCLUSIONS
In this large prospective series of patients, 3D TOF-MRA was superior at 3T to 1.5T for the evaluation of coiled intracranial aneurysms.
Department of Radiology, Maison Blanche Hospital, University of Reims, Reims, France. lpierot@gmail.com
L
L
Pierot
C
C
Portefaix
J-Y
JY
Gauvrit
A
A
Boulin
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D061185:Mechanical Thrombolysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome