title: 3D contrast enhancement-MR angiography for imaging of unruptured cerebral aneurysms: a hospital-based prevalence study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Contrast enhanced MRA (CE-MRA) can help to overcome the limitations of other techniques to clearly display the details of cerebral aneurysms at 1.5-T MR system. We investigated the prevalence of unruptured cerebral aneurysms (UCAs) using three dimensional (3D) CE-MRA in a tertiary comprehensive hospital in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cases were prospectively recorded at our hospital between February 2009 and October 2010. 3D CE-MRA, interpreted by 2 observers blinded to the participants' information, was used to identify the location and size of UCAs and to estimate the overall, age-specific, and sex-specific prevalence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3993 patients (men: women = 2159:1834), 408 UCAs were found in 350 patients (men: women = 151:199). The prevalence was 8.8% overall (95% CI, 8.0-10.0%), with 7.0% for men (CI, 6.0-8.0%) and 10.9% for women (CI, 9.0-12.0%). The overall prevalence of UCAs was higher in women than in men (P<0.001) and increased with age both in men and women. Prevalence peaked at age group 75-80 years. Forty-two patients (11.7%) had multiple aneurysms, including 10 (2.9%) male patients and 32 (9.1%) female patients. The most common site of aneurysm was the carotid siphon, and most lesions (71.3%) had a maximum diameter of 3-5 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This hospital-based prevalence study suggested a high prevalence (8.8%) of UCAs and most lesions (71.3%) had a maximum diameter of 3-5 mm observed by 3D CE-MRA. Because the rupture of small cerebral aneurysms was not uncommon, an appropriate follow-up care strategy must be formulated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Bixia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of neurosurgery, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Yibin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of neurosurgery, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Dongwei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Shiyue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media