title: Exploring the age of intracranial aneurysms using carbon birth dating: preliminary results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is a controversy about the time span over which cerebral aneurysms develop. In particular, it is unknown whether collagen in ruptured aneurysms undergoes more rapid turnover than in unruptured aneurysms.(14)C birth dating of collagen could be used to address this question.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aneurysmal domes from patients undergoing surgical treatment for ruptured or unruptured aneurysms were excised. Aneurysmal collagen was isolated and purified after pepsin digestion. Collagen from mouse tendons served as controls. F(14)C levels in collagen were analyzed by accelerator mass spectrometry and correlated with patient age and aneurysm size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of 10 aneurysms from 9 patients (6 ruptured, 3 unruptured) revealed an average aneurysm collagen age of <5 years, generally irrespective of patient age and aneurysm size or rupture status. Interestingly, F(14)C levels correlated with patient age as well as aneurysm size in ruptured aneurysm collagen samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary data suggest that collagen extracted from intracranial aneurysms generally has a high turnover, associated with aneurysm size and patient age. The correlation of patient age and aneurysm F(14)C levels could explain models of aneurysm development. Although preliminary, our findings may have implications for the biological and structural stability of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. etminan@uni-duesseldorf.de
authors: Nima
authors: N
authors: Etminan
authors: Rita
authors: R
authors: Dreier
authors: Bruce A
authors: BA
authors: Buchholz
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Bruckner
authors: Hans-Jakob
authors: HJ
authors: Steiger
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Hänggi
authors: R Loch
authors: RL
authors: Macdonald
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055110:Radiometric Dating / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002244:Carbon; D003094:Collagen