摘要
Intracranial aneurysms(IAs)can cause a lethal subarachnoid hemorrhage after rupture.The prevalence of IA is high in the general public;however,the annual risk for the rupture of an incidentally found lesion is relatively low.Therefore,it is crucial to selectively diagnose rupture-prone IAs among many diagnosed IAs,and properly treat such IAs before rupture.Recent studies using human IA specimens or experimentally-induced IAs in animals have revealed some important findings regarding the role of inflammatory cells infiltrating IA lesions.Currently,IA is considered an inflammatory disease of the intracranial arterial walls.Macrophages are presumably a major type of inflammatory cells regulating the pathogenesis of IAs through the production of a wide range of pro-inflammatory factors.Based on a series of studies,macrophages could be a diagnostic target for rupture-prone IAs.Currently,the potential diagnostic method to detect iron-engulfing macrophages in IA lesions by magnetic resonance imaging is reported.In this review,the authors will summarize the findings regarding the inflammatory cell types present in IA lesions and discuss future prospects for the development of a novel diagnostic method identifying rupture-prone IAs.
