TY - JOUR
T1 - 7 Tesla MRA for the differentiation between intracranial aneurysms and infundibula
AU - Wermer, Marieke J.H.
AU - van Walderveen, Marianne A.A.
AU - Garpebring, Anders
AU - van Osch, Matthias J.P.
AU - Versluis, Maarten J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016
PY - 2017/4
Y1 - 2017/4
N2 - Objective The differentiation between an aneurysm and an infundibulum with time-of-flight MRA is often difficult. However, this distinction is important because it affects further patient follow-up. The purpose of this study was to assess the added value of high resolution 7 Tesla MRA for investigating small vascular lesions suspect for an aneurysm or an infundibulum. Materials and methods We included patients in whom an intracranial vascular lesion was detected in our University Hospital and in whom the discrimination between a true aneurysms or an infundibulum could not be made on conventional 1.5 or 3 T MRI were included in the study. All patients underwent an additional 7 T time-of-flight MRA at higher spatial resolution. Results We included 6 patients. The age range of the patients was 35–65 years and 5 of them were women. 1 out of 6 had a 1.5 T MRI, the other 5 patients had a 3 T MRI previous to the 7 T MRI. The lesion size varied between 0.9 mm and 2.0 mm. In 5 of the 6 patients the presence of an infundibulum could be proven using the high resolution of the 7 T MRA. All patients tolerated the 7 T MRI well. Conclusion Our results suggest that high resolution and contrast of 7 T MRA provides added diagnostic value in discriminating between intracranial aneurysms and infundibula. This finding may have important consequences for patient follow-up and comfort because it might reduce unnecessary follow-up exams and decrease uncertainty about the diagnosis. Larger studies, however, are needed to confirm our findings.
AB - Objective The differentiation between an aneurysm and an infundibulum with time-of-flight MRA is often difficult. However, this distinction is important because it affects further patient follow-up. The purpose of this study was to assess the added value of high resolution 7 Tesla MRA for investigating small vascular lesions suspect for an aneurysm or an infundibulum. Materials and methods We included patients in whom an intracranial vascular lesion was detected in our University Hospital and in whom the discrimination between a true aneurysms or an infundibulum could not be made on conventional 1.5 or 3 T MRI were included in the study. All patients underwent an additional 7 T time-of-flight MRA at higher spatial resolution. Results We included 6 patients. The age range of the patients was 35–65 years and 5 of them were women. 1 out of 6 had a 1.5 T MRI, the other 5 patients had a 3 T MRI previous to the 7 T MRI. The lesion size varied between 0.9 mm and 2.0 mm. In 5 of the 6 patients the presence of an infundibulum could be proven using the high resolution of the 7 T MRA. All patients tolerated the 7 T MRI well. Conclusion Our results suggest that high resolution and contrast of 7 T MRA provides added diagnostic value in discriminating between intracranial aneurysms and infundibula. This finding may have important consequences for patient follow-up and comfort because it might reduce unnecessary follow-up exams and decrease uncertainty about the diagnosis. Larger studies, however, are needed to confirm our findings.
KW - 7 Tesla
KW - High resolution MRA
KW - Infundibula
KW - Intracranial aneurysms
KW - Time-of-flight MRA
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84995735633&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.mri.2016.11.006
DO - 10.1016/j.mri.2016.11.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 27840274
AN - SCOPUS:84995735633
SN - 0730-725X
VL - 37
SP - 16
EP - 20
JO - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
JF - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
ER -