The Application of Multiple Magnetic Resonance Scanning Techniques in Evaluating the Stability of Intracranial Aneurysms

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the stability of unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the vessel wall (HR-VWI).

Materials and Methods

A total of 92 UIA patients were enrolled. After MRA, HR-VWI imaging, the reconstruction of volume rendering (VR) and maximum intensity projection (MIP) were performed to observe the location and size of aneurysms, AR value (ratio of aneurysm height to aneurysmal diameter), SR value (ratio of maximum tumor depth to proximal parent artery diameter), and signal intensity were measured.

Results

There were 7 aneurysms with UIA located in the anterior cerebral artery, 31 aneurysms with UIA in the middle cerebral artery, 1 aneurysm with UIA in the posterior cerebral artery, 18 aneurysms with UIA in the anterior communication, 5 aneurysms with UIA in the posterior communication, 34 aneurysms with UIA in the intracranial segment of the internal carotid artery and 3 aneurysms with UIA in the vertebral artery. Among them, 8 patients had more than two multiple aneurysms. The lesion size was 2–38mm (6.3 ± 5.09). There are 46 aneurysms with wall enhancement: the maximum SR value was 7.03 and the minimum 1.2, and the maximum AR value was 7.5 and the minimum 1.0. Fifty-five aneurysms showed no enhancement of the tumor wall. The maximum SR value was 4.55 and the minimum 0.58, and the maximum AR value was 4.0 and the minimum 0.6, respectively. Patients were divided into a stable group and an unstable group according to the aneurysm wall. The enhancement rate, SR value, and AR value in the stable aneurysm group were significantly lower than those in the unstable aneurysm group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

MRA and HR-VWI can objectively reflect the stability of aneurysms by judging the morphology, SR value, and signal enhancement of UIA, and can provide a certain basis for diagnosis and treatment, which has become routine examination.

Keywords:

• high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the vessel wall
• unruptured intracranial aneurysm
• signal intensity
• enhancement
• diagnosis

Patient Consent for Publication

Informed consent was obtained from all patients.

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

The present study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Yan ‘an Hospital affiliated with Kunming Medical University and The Second People’s Hospital of Kunming. Informed consent was obtained from all patients. This study complies with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests. The institution does not develop products with relevant information, apply for patents, and does not provide experimental funds. The institution does not interfere with the decision to publish and share relevant research results in journals.

Additional information

Funding

Joint Project of Kunming Medical University and Department of Science and Technology, Yunnan Province (No.202101AY070001-210); Yunnan High-level Health Technical Talents Reserve Talents Program for Medical Discipline (No. H-2018060); Scientific Research Foundation of Yunnan Education Department (No.2021J0278); Kunming Health Science and Technology Personnel Training Project and “Ten Hundred thousand” Project Training Plan (No. 2020-SW −10); Kunming Municipal Health Commission Health Research Project (No.2020-09-01-111); Hospital Project of Kunming Yan ‘an Hospital (No.YYKY019-021).