title: Visualization of novel microstents in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms with contrast-enhanced flat panel detector CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced flat panel detector CT (FPDCT) for visualizing the novel microstents implanted in patients with unruptured wide-necked intracranial aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four cases of patients who underwent stent assisted coiling at our department were retrospectively analyzed. In each case, FPDCT images were performed after stent and coils deployment and then assessed in the terms of stent struts and all radiopaque markers and tantalum strands visibility separately using a 3-grade scale (1 - inadequate, 2 - good, 3 - excellent).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stent struts visibility was assessed to be inadequate for evaluation in all cases. All radiopaque markers and tantalum strands visibility was excellent in 61.4% and good in 38.6% of cases. We observed 4 (9.09%) cases of incomplete stent opening. Treated aneurysm size <10mm was an independent predictor of excellent stent all radiopaque markers and tantalum strands visibility (ρ=0.014).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrast-enhanced FPDCT is feasible for visualizing stents implanted in patients with intracranial aneurysms as it gives precise visualization of the relationships between the stent tantalum strands and the vessel wall. Stents used in the treatment of aneurysms ≥10 mm in size are worse visualized because of the coil streaking artifacts.
authors.affiliation: Departament of Interventional Radiology, Pomeranian Medical University, Neurointerventional Cath Lab MSW Hospital, Al. Powst. Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland. Electronic address: wponcyl@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Poncyljusz
authors.affiliation: Departament of Interventional Radiology, Pomeranian Medical University, Neurointerventional Cath Lab MSW Hospital, Al. Powst. Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland. Electronic address: zwarzany@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Zwarzany
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Al. Powst. Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland. Electronic address: chrissaf@mp.pl.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Safranow
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Coiling; Computed tomography; Flat panel detector; Intracranial aneurysm; Stent