PURPOSE: To analyze the diagnostic efficacy of computed tomography angiography compared to digital cerebral angiography for the diagnosis of traumatic aneurysms (TAs) associated with combat-related penetrating head injuries and propose the most suitable angiography protocol in this clinical context. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients admitted to the neurosurgical clinic for penetrating traumatic brain injuries between February, 2022 and July, 2024, for whom both cerebral multidetector computed tomography angiography (MCTA) and digital cerebral angiography (DCA) were available. The inclusion were patients (1) with penetrating head injuries, (2) with missile trajectory traverses through the Sylvian or great longitudinal fissure, (3) basal cisterns with/or major subarachnoid hemorrhage. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of MCTA were calculated. DCA was considered as the gold standard of diagnosis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of MCTA were calculated. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistics were used to analyze the study results and their differences, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients with 45 TAs were included in the study. Of these, 26 patients (65.0%) were found to have aneurysms on MCTA. The median diameter of the aneurysms diagnosed by MCTA was 4.9 (3.6, 4.8) mm (range of 2.5 - 10.4 mm). However, the mean diameter of TAs not detected by MCTA but diagnosed by DCA was (3.0 ± 1.3) mm (range of 1.3 - 4.9 mm). MCTA demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 35.5% and 99.5%, respectively, with positive and negative predictive values of 92.3% and 90.7%. CONCLUSIONS A low sensitivity of MCTA for the diagnosis of TAs associated with combat-related penetrating head injuries was reported. When MCTA is inconclusive in the setting of radiologic predictors of cerebral artery injury, DSA may be required.
Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Multidetector Computed Tomography/methods* ; Intracranial Aneurysm/etiology* ; Computed Tomography Angiography/methods* ; Female ; Head Injuries, Penetrating/diagnostic imaging* ; Middle Aged ; Cerebral Angiography/methods* ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of Neuroform Atlas stent used in treatment of unruptured wide-neck intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: Clinical data of 62 patients with unruptured wide-neck intracranial aneurysms undergoing Neuroform Atlas stent-assisted coiling from August 2020 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 64 aneurysms in those 62 patients. Among them, 25 aneurysms were located at the bifurcation of M1 segment on middle cerebral artery, 16 at the anterior communicating artery, 10 at the C7 segment of internal carotid artery, 5 at the C6 segment of internal carotid artery, 4 at the apex of basilar artery, 3 at the A3 segment of anterior cerebral artery, and 1 at the M2 segment of middle cerebral artery. All the patients underwent Neuroform Atlas stent-assisted coiling, including 49 patients with single stent assisted coiling and 15 patients with dual stents assisted coiling (14"Y"style and 1"X"style). After the procedure, the immediate DSA was performed to evaluate the status of aneurysm occlusion and the parent artery patency. The clinical follow-up was performed 3 months after the operation and evaluated based on the modified Rankin Scale(mRS).DSA image was reviewed at 6 months after operation and Raymond grading scale was used to assess the status of aneurysm occlusion and the parent artery patency. RESULTS: A total of 62 patients with 64 aneurysms were all achieved technical success(100%).The immediate post-procedural Raymond scale was assessed, including Raymond Ⅰ in 57 aneurysms(89.1%, 57/64), Raymond Ⅱ in 6 aneurysms(9.3%, 6/64) and Raymond Ⅲ in 1 aneurysm(1.6%, 1/64). The peri-procedural complications rate was 4.8%(3/62), 2 patients developed intraoperative thrombosis and 1 patient suffered from local subarachnoid hemorrhage. Among them, 55 patients obtained 3 months clinical follow-up after operation and all the patients had good outcomes (mRS≤2), 50 patients with 52 aneurysms were followed up with DSA 6 months after operation, including Raymond Ⅰ in 45 aneurysms(86.5%, 45/52), Raymond Ⅱ in 4 aneurysms(7.7%, 4/52) and Raymond Ⅲ in 3 aneurysms(5.8%, 3/52). CONCLUSION Neuroform Atlas stent for the treatment of unruptured wide-neck intracranial aneurysms has high safety and good efficacy, and has its advantages over other traditional stents.
Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm/etiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Embolization, Therapeutic/methods* ; Stents/adverse effects* ; Cerebral Angiography

In recent years, in the absence of venous component, dilated, overlapping, and tortuous arteries forming a mass of arterial loops with a coil-like appearance have been defined as pure arterial malformation (PAM). It is extremely rare, and its etiology and treatment have not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we reported 2 cases of PAM with associated aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in this paper. Both patients had severe headache as the first symptom. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was found by CT and computed tomography angiography (CTA) and PAM with associated aneurysm was found by digital subtraction angiography (DSA). In view of the distribution of blood and the location of aneurysms, the aneurysm rupture was the most likely to be considered. Based on the involvement of the lesion in the distal blood supply, only the aneurysm was clamped during the operation. It used to be consider that PAM is safety, because of the presentation and natural history of previously reported cases. Through the cases we reported, we have doubted about "the benign natural history" and discussed its treatment. PAM can promote the formation of aneurysms and should be reviewed regularly. The surgical indications for PAM patients with aneurysm formation need to be further clarified. Management of PAM patients with ruptured aneurysm is the same as that of ruptured aneurysm. Whether there are indications needed to treat simple arterial malformations remains to be further elucidated with the multicenter, randomized controlled studies on this disease.
Aneurysm, Ruptured/surgery* ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Cerebral Angiography ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm/surgery* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/etiology*

The traditional classification, diagnosis, and treatment of intracranial aneurysms are based on the characteristics of their vascular lumen. However, in the past few years, some advances in MRI technology with high-resolution imaging can assess the pathology of intracranial vascular walls. Compared with traditional methods of computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiograhpy, and digital subtraction angiography, high resolution magnetic resonance imaging technology can help us to newly understand the disease by directly evaluating the characteristics of vascular wall, such as aneurysm wall thickness, inflammation, enhancement, permeability and hemodynamics. At present, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly used in clinic to assess the rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms, which is of great significance for guiding the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial aneurysms.
Aneurysm, Ruptured/diagnostic imaging* ; Cerebral Angiography ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Risk Assessment ; Technology

OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation between cerebral blood flow (CBF) on arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI and the degree of postoperative revascularization assessed on digital subtraction angiography in children with moyamoya disease (MMD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one children (9 boys and 12 girls; mean age, 8.4 ± 3.6 years; age range, 3–16 years) with MMD who underwent both pseudocontinuous ASL MRI at 1.5T and catheter angiography before and after superficial temporal artery encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis were included in this retrospective study. The degree of revascularization in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory was evaluated on external carotid angiography and was graded on a 3-point scale. On ASL CBF maps, regions of interest were manually drawn over the MCA territory of the operated side at the level of the centrum semi-ovale and over the cerebellum. The normalized CBF (nCBF) was calculated by dividing the CBF of the MCA territory by the CBF of the cerebellum. Changes in nCBFs were calculated by subtracting the preoperative nCBF values from the postoperative nCBF values. The correlation between nCBF changes measured with ASL and the revascularization grade from direct angiography was evaluated. RESULTS: The nCBF value on the operated side increased after the operation (p = 0.001). The higher the degree of revascularization, the greater the nCBF change was: poor revascularization (grade 1), −0.043 ± 0.212; fair revascularization (grade 2), 0.345 ± 0.176; good revascularization (grade 3), 0.453 ± 0.182 (p = 0.005, Jockheere-Terpstra test). The interobserver agreement was excellent for the measured CBF values of the three readers (0.91–0.97). CONCLUSION: The nCBF values of the MCA territory obtained from ASL MRI increased after the revascularization procedure in children with MMD, and the degree of nCBF change showed a significant correlation with the degree of collateral formation evaluated via catheter angiography.
Angiography ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Catheters ; Cerebellum ; Cerebral Revascularization ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Moyamoya Disease ; Perfusion ; Retrospective Studies ; Temporal Arteries

OBJECTIVE: Coiled aneurysms are known to recanalize over time, making follow-up evaluations mandatory. Although de novo intracranial aneurysms (DNIAs) are occasionally detected during routine patient monitoring, such events have not been thoroughly investigated to date. Herein, we generated estimates of DNIA development during long-term observation of coiled cerebral aneurysms, focusing on incidence and the risk factors involved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 773 patients undergoing coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms between 2008 and 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. Their medical records and radiologic data accrued over the extended period (mean, 52.7 ± 29.7 months) were analyzed. For the detection of DNIA, follow-up magnetic resonance angiography and/or conventional angiography were used. The incidence of DNIAs and related risk factors were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier product-limit estimator. RESULTS: In 19 (2.5%) of the 773 patients with coiled aneurysms, DNIAs (0.56% per patient-year) developed during continued long-term monitoring (3395.3 patient-years). Of these, 9 DNIAs (47.4%) were detected within 60 months, with 10 (52.6%) emerging thereafter. The most common site involved was the posterior communicating artery (n = 6), followed by the middle cerebral artery (n = 5) and the basilar top (n = 4). Multivariate analysis indicated that younger age (< 50 years) (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.045; p = 0.010) and recanalization of coiled aneurysms (HR = 2.560; p = 0.047) were significant factors in DNIA formation, whereas female sex, smoking, and hypertension fell short of statistical significance. Cumulative survival rates without DNIA were significantly higher in older subjects (> 60 years; p < 0.001) and in the absence of post-coiling aneurysm recurrence (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: In most patients with coiled aneurysms, development of DNIAs during long-term monitoring is rare. However, younger patients (< 50 years) or patients with recurring aneurysms appear to be predisposed to DNIAs.
Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Medical Records ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Multivariate Analysis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Survival Rate

Moyamoya disease (MMD) refers to a chronic progressive steno-occlusive disease at the distal portion of the internal carotid artery with abnormal collateral vessel formation of unknown etiology. The definite diagnosis of MMD requires cerebral angiography or magnetic resonance angiography and/or magnetic resonance imaging after excluding other underlying diseases, particularly in adult patients. The treatment aims to improve regional cerebral blood flow to prevent cerebral ischemic events and alleviate hemodynamic instability that can provoke cerebral hemorrhage. Although various surgical revascularization methods have been introduced, combined revascularization surgery including direct revascularization is preferred over indirect revascularization only in adult MMD patients. Several recent studies have shown that surgical treatment has better outcomes and prognosis for symptomatic hemodynamically unstable MMD patients with both ischemic and hemorrhagic presentations. For asymptomatic patients, follow up with appropriate imaging is recommended. Surgery should be considered when new symptoms emerge with hemodynamic aggravation.
Adult ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Angiography ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Moyamoya Disease ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Cerebral Angiography ; Headache ; Humans ; Migraine Disorders ; Vasoconstriction

We describe a case of vertebral artery dissection (VAD) presenting with acute infarctions in cervical spinal cord and cerebellum in a 78-year-old man. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain demonstrated diffusion-restricted lesions in the right cerebellum and sagittal T2-weighted MR imaging of spinal cord showed a hyperintense lesion of the cervical spinal cord at C2-C4 level. Right VAD was identified by transfemoral cerebral angiography and computed tomography angiography which showed segmental occlusion in the right vertebral artery.
Aged ; Angiography ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Cerebral Angiography ; Cervical Cord ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Ischemia ; Vertebral Artery Dissection ; Vertebral Artery

Direct puncture and embolization of the transverse sinus (TS) for treatment of dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is typically performed with coils with or without glue. We report a case of DAVF at the left TS that was treated with Onyx embolization via direct puncture of the TS. A 75-year-old woman presented with tremor, festinating gait, and dysarthria. A left TS-DAVF with retrograde superior sagittal sinus and cortical venous reflux (Cognard type IIa+b) was identified on cerebral angiography, and both TSs were occluded with thrombi. We considered that achieving complete cure by transvenous embolization via the femoral vein or transarterial embolization via occipital feeders would be difficult. Thus, we performed a small craniotomy at the occipital bone to puncture the TS. The midportion of the TS was directly punctured with a 21-G microneedle under fluoroscopic guidance. We inserted a 5-F sheath into the TS. A microcatheter was then navigated into the affected sinus. Coils were placed through the microcatheter to support Onyx formation by reducing the pressure of shunting flow. Onyx embolization was performed with the same microcatheter. The DAVF was almost completely occluded except for the presence of minimal shunting flow to the proximal TS. After 1 week, time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography showed complete resolution of DAVF. The patient showed resolved tremor and markedly improved mental status at 1-month follow up. Direct puncture and embolization of the TS using coils and Onyx is effective and feasible method for the treatment of DAVF when other approaches seem difficult.
Adhesives ; Aged ; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations ; Cerebral Angiography ; Craniotomy ; Dysarthria ; Female ; Femoral Vein ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gait Disorders, Neurologic ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Methods ; Occipital Bone ; Punctures ; Superior Sagittal Sinus ; Tremor