Evaluation of CTA, time-resolved 4D CE-MRA and DSA in the follow-up of an intracranial aneurysm treated with a flow diverter stent: Experience from a single case.
Endovascular treatment of giant, fusiform and dissecting aneurysms with flow diverter stents is becoming more and more popular. However, very few studies on the follow-up have been published. We describe a patient with a dissecting aneurysm of the right vertebral artery treated with flow diverter stent placement. The patient was followed up with CT angiography (CTA), time-resolved contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). CTA had false negative results in two instances, whereas time-resolved CE-MRA and DSA were the most accurate in depicting the residual flow in the aneurysmal sac. However, in the case of DSA the demonstration of residual flow proved quite difficult and required a very thorough examination with oblique projections. Our 2.5-year experience with this patient led us to believe that time-resolved CE-MRA is a valuable tool in the follow-up of flow diverter-treated stents.
Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Georgios
G
Kapsas
Department of Radiology, University of Bologna, Italy.
Caterina
C
Budai
Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy toni.francesco@gmail.com.
Francesco
F
Toni
Department of Radiology, University of Bologna, Italy.
Francesco
F
Patruno
Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
Anna
A
Federica Marliani
Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Marco
M
Leonardi
Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Luigi
L
Cirillo
D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D003287:Contrast Media; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors
D003287:Contrast Media
CT angiography; Intracranial aneurysm; contrast-enhanced MR angiography; digital subtraction angiography; flow diverter