COMPLICATION ANALYSIS OF INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSM EMBOLIZATION WITH CONTROLLABLE COILS

Objective To explore the causes, prevention, and management of the complications during intra-cranial aneurysm embolization with controllable coils (mechanical detachable spiral, MDS; and Guglielmi detachable coil, GDC). Methods Retrospective review of 120 cases with 125 intracranial aneurysms embolized with con-trollable coils from March 1995 to July 1999 was conducted. The 20 accidents(in 18 cases) including aneurysm rupture, over-embolization, protrusion of coil end into the parent artery, and thrombosis of the parent artery were analyzed. Results Among the 20 accidents, there were 6 aneurysm ruptures, 6 over-embolizations (in 5 cases), 6 coil protrusions, and 2 thromboses (one was secondary to coil protrusion). The embolization-related mortality was 3.33% (4/120), the permanent neurological deficit was 1.67% (2/120), and the transitory neurological deficit was 3.33%(4/120). The occurrence and outcome of the complications were related to the embolizing technique, the pattern of aneurysm and its parent artery, the imperfection of embolic materials, and the observation and management during embolization. Conclusion Skilled embolizing technique, better understanding of the angio-anatomy of an aneurysm and its parent artery, correct judgement and management during embolization, and improvement of embolic materials are beneficial to the reduction of complications and to the melioration of the outcome of complications.

3D Shape Reconstruction of Lumbar Vertebra From Two X-ray Images and a CT Model

Structure reconstruction of 3 D anatomy from biplanar X-ray images is a challenging topic. Traditionally, the elastic-model-based method was used to reconstruct 3 D shapes by deforming the control points on the elastic mesh. However, the reconstructed shape is not smooth because the limited control points are only distributed on the edge of the elastic mesh.Alternatively, statistical-model-based methods, which include shape-model-based and intensity-model-based methods, are introduced due to their smooth reconstruction. However, both suffer from limitations. With the shape-model-based method, only the boundary profile is considered, leading to the loss of valid intensity information. For the intensity-based-method, the computation speed is slow because it needs to calculate the intensity distribution in each iteration. To address these issues, we propose a new reconstruction method using X-ray images and a specimen’s CT data. Specifically, the CT data provides both the shape mesh and the intensity model of the vertebra. Intensity model is used to generate the deformation field from X-ray images, while the shape model is used to generate the patient specific model by applying the calculated deformation field.Experiments on the public synthetic dataset and clinical dataset show that the average reconstruction errors are 1.1 mm and1.2 mm, separately. The average reconstruction time is 3 minutes.

INITIAL COMPARISON OF INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSM EMBOLIZATION WITH MECHANICAL DETACHABLE SPIRALS AND WITH GUGLIELMI DETACHABLE COILS

Objective. To compare the embolization effects of intracranial aneurysms with mechanical detachable spirals (MDS) and with Guglielmi detachable coils (GDC).Methods. One hundred and twenty cases with 125 intracranial aneurysms were embolized in Beijing Hospital from March 1995 to July 1999. Sixty - six aneurysms in 64 cases were embolized with MDS, 51 in 48 with GDC, and 8 in 8 with both MDS and GDC. Clinical data including sex, age, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), Hunt & Hess grading, diameter and neck width of aneurysms, number and length of coils used per aneurysm, occlusive ratio, and complications were compared between MDS and GDC groups.Results. MDS and GDC groups were comparable (t-test or x2 -test, all P value > 0. 10) in terms of age, sex, diameter of aneurysms [ (8. 46 ± 3. 42) mm vs. (7. 38 ± 3. 45) mm], neck width [ (3. 49 ± 1. 50) mm vs. (3. 26 ± 1. 52) mm], coils number[ (4. 65 ± 3. 01) vs. (4. 24 ± 2. 65) ] and their length[ (460. 2 ± 398. 5) mm vs. (422. 9 ±387. 1) mm] used per aneurysm, occlusive ratio in aneurysms embolized ≥80% [ (95. 00% ± 6. 32% ) vs. (94. 19% ± 7. 63% ) ], mortality and permanent complications (7. 8% vs. 4. 2% ).Conclusions. MDS and GDC are all materials for embolization of intracranial aneurysms. MDS is less expensive, but more difficult to control and of propensity to complications while GDC is more compliant, easier to be used, safer, and have many alternative types for use as well as more extensive indications.

Associations between haemodynamics and wall enhancement of intracranial aneurysm

Background and purpose Previous studies have reported about inflammation processes(IPs)that play important roles in aneurysm formation and rupture,which could be driven by blood flow.IPs can be identified using aneurysmal wall enhancement(AWE)on high-resolution black-blood MRI(BB-MRI)and blood flow haemodynamics can be demonstrated by four-dimensional-flow MRI(4D-flow MRI).Thus,this study investigated the associations between AWE and haemodynamics in unruptured intracranial aneurysms(IA)by combining 4D-flow MRI and high-resolution BB-MRI.Materials and methods Between April 2014 and October 2017,48 patients with 49 unruptured IA who underwent both 4D-flow MRI and high-resolution BB-MRI were retrospectively included in this study.The haemodynamic parameters demonstrated using 4D-flow MRI were compared between different AWE patterns using the Kruskal-Wallis test and ordinal regression.Results The results of Kruskal-Wallis test showed that the average wall shear stress in the IA(WSSavg-IA),maximum through-plane velocity in the adjacent parent artery,inflow jet patterns and the average vorticity in IA(vorticityavg-IA)were significantly associated with the AWE patterns.Ordinal regression analysis identified WSSavg-IA(p=0.002)and vorticityavg-IA(p=0.033)as independent predictors of AWE patterns.Conclusion A low WSS and low average vorticity were independently associated with a high AWE grade for IAs larger than 4 mm.Therefore,WSS and average vorticity could predict AWE and circumferential AWE.

Treatment of patients older than 60 years with symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery stenosis

Background Vertebrobasilar artery stenosis is an important cause of ischemic posterior circulation strokes. This study aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of treatment including conservative therapy alone and conservative plus endovascular therapy for elderly patients with symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery stenosis.Methods Patients older than 60 years with symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery stenosis （ ≥50%） confirmed by cerebral angiography were enrolled. All of them were treated with medical therapy and some with additional stent-assisted angioplasty （the stenting subgroup）. Their clinical, imaging, intervention and follow-up data were analyzed.Results One hundred and seventeen consecutive elderly patients （100 men, mean age （68.1 ±5.1） years） were enrolled and followed up for a mean time of 28.4 months; 81.7% of them were symptomatically resolved or improved; a stroke rate of 5.1% and a stroke-related death rate of 1.7% were found among them during the hospitalization and follow-up. In the stenting subgroup, 78 balloon expandable stents were employed in the 70 patients with a technical success rate of 98.7% and the mean degree of stenosis was significantly reduced from （81.7±14.3）% before stenting to （8.3±4.2）% after stenting （P 〈0.001）. Four （5.7%） periprocedural strokes occurred, of whom two led to death within 30 days after the procedure. During the follow-up （mean 27.7 months）, sixty of the surviving 68 patients in the stenting subgroup were symptomatically resolved or improved. Only one （1.5%） posterior circulation stroke occurred, while duplex ultrasound scan of 34 patients demonstrated 10 （29.4%） in-stent restenosis.Conclusions Appropriate utilization of conservative therapy alone and conservative plus endovascular therapy may improve short-term clinical outcomes for elderly patients with symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery stenosis. Furthermore, stent-assisted angioplasty is technically feasible and relatively safe in elderly patients.

An initial exploration of surgery following radiotherapy for the treatment of gliomatosis cerebri

Gliomatosis cerebri （GC） is a diffuse glial tumor that infiltrates the brain extensively. The optimaltherapeutic strategy for this tumor has not yet been established. Radiotherapy, temozolomide and other chemotherapeutic modalities have been used to treat GC.2 Despite aggressive and often multimodal therapeutic intervention, survival rates for adult and pediatric patients with GC are extremely poor. Here we report two cases of GC in which we initially explored a new therapeutic strategy for this disease.

Plaque characteristics after endovascular treatment in patients with intracranial Plaque characteristics after endovascular treatment in patients with intracranial atherosclerotic disease

Background:Endovascular treatment(EVT)is an alternative option for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease(ICAD).However,the effect of EVT treatment on ICAD plaques is still unclear.This study describes the ICAD plaque characteristics after EVT treatment and analyzes the effect of different EVT treatments on plaque characteristics.Method:From 2017 January to 2022 January,ICAD patients who underwent endovascular treatment and had follow-up high-resolution magnetic resonance image(HRMRI)were enrolled in the study.Multiple plaque characteristics,including plaque enhancement,plaque burden,were measured based on preoperative,and follow-up HRMRI.Plaque characteristics and postoperative plaque changes were analyzed between different treatment groups.Result:Finally,50 intracranial atherosclerotic plaques in 45 patients were included.Including 28 male patients and 17 female,media age 63.0 years old.Among 50 plaques,41 received percutaneous angioplasty(including 22 plain balloons and 19 drug-coated balloons(DCB))and the other 9 underwent stenting.Stenosis rate,plaque burden and eccentricity index at the lesion site were significantly decreased after EVT compared with preoperative periods(p<0.001).And only the DCB group showed a significant reduction in plaque enhancement at follow-up(p<0.001).No significant preoperative and postoperative changes in other plaque characteristics were found.Conclusion:EVT treatment could compromise the characteristics of intracranial periarterial atherosclerotic plaques,and DCB treatment may result in a reduction in plaque enhancement after treatment.

Fractionated resection on low grade gliomas involving Broca＇s area and insights to brain plasticity

Background Resent advances on functional mapping have enabled us to conduct surgery on gliomas within the eloquent area. The objective of the article is to discuss the feasibility of a planned fractionated strategy of resection on low-grade gliomas （LGGs） involving Broca＇s area. We report the first surgical series of planned fractionated resections on LGGs within Broca＇s area, focusing on language functional reshaping. Methods Four patients were treated with fractionated operations for LGGs involving Broca＇s area. All cases underwent conventional magnetic resonance （MR） scanning, language functional MR and diffusion tensor imaging （DTI） before operation. The resections were then performed on patients under awake anesthesia using intraoperative electrical stimulation （IES） for functional mapping. Pre- and post-operative neuro-psychological examinations were evaluated.Results Total resections were achieved in all cases as confirmed by the postoperative control MR. After transient language worsening, all patients recovered to normal 3-6 months later. Language functional MR scannings have shown language functional cortical and subcortical pathway reorganization （in the perilesion or contra-lateral hemisphere） after the operation. All patients returned to a normal socioprofessional life. Conclusions By utilizing the dynamic interaction between brain plasticity and fractionated resections, we can totally remove the tumor involving Broca＇s structure without inducing permanent postoperative deficits and even improve the quality of life.

Relationship between magnetic resonance imaging and molecular pathology in patients with glioblastoma multiforme

Background Glioblastoma multiforme （GBM） is the most common and lethal primary brain tumor in adults. Magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） is routinely used in the diagnosis, characterization and clinical management of GBM. The diagnosis and treatment of GBM is largely guided by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. This study aimed to identify the relationship between magnetic resonance features and molecular pathology of GBM. Methods MRI images of 43 glioblastoma patients were collected. Four imaging features, degree of edema, contrast tumor enhanced/T2 ratio, multiple lesions and tumor across the midline, were selected to identify their relationship with P53, Ki-67 and O6-methylguanine-DNA methltransferase （MGMT） expression in patients with GBM. The relationship between imaging features and molecular pathology was studied by chi-square test using the software SPSS 13.0. Results High expression of P53 was found correlated with low contrast tumor enhancedFF2 ratio, low expression of Ki-67 was correlated with multiple lesions and high expression of KI-67 may be related with tumor across the midline, low expression of MGMT was correlated with edema. Conclusion Some MRI features such as the degree of edema, contrast tumor enhanced/T2 ratio, multiple lesions and tumor acrossing the midline are correlated with P53, Ki-67 and MGMT of GBM.

Advances in endovascular therapy for ischemic cerebrovascular diseases

Endovascular therapy for ischemic cerebrovascular diseases has developed rapidly in recent years. The latest clinical trials of acute ischemic stroke have shown promising results with the continued advancement of concepts, techniques, and materials. Mechanical thrombectomy is recommended in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke caused by large vessel occlusion of the anterior circulation, according to the guidelines updated in Europe, USA, and China. The long-term therapeutic efficacy of endovascular stenting for carotid artery stenosis has also been proved noninferior to that of carotid endarterectomy. However, the latest clinical trials have shown that the efficacy of stenting for intracranial artery and vertebral artery stenosis is inferior to that of medical treatment alone, which needs urgent attention through further development and studies.

功能磁共振成像/弥散张量成像图像融合:脑肿瘤治疗术前计划新方法(英文)

Objective To develop and test an image fusion software(fDf,fMRI/DTI fusion) which can overlap the anatomical(T1WI images),functional MRI(fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging(DTI) simultaneously for preoperational evaluation of patients′ tumor.Methods fMRI with bilateral hands grasp movement and DTI were performed using GE 1.5 T magnetic resonance system on 10 subjects(5 healthy volunteers and 5 patients with brain tumor,of which 3 were metastases,1 was cavernous hemangioma and 1 was glioma).All data were input to the personal computer and offline postprocessing of fMRI and DTI data was performed using SPM5 and VolumeOne software package to visualize the activated functional cortex areas and corticospinal tracts.fDf was used to import the fMRI and structural images to VolumeOne to show them simultaneously.Results Brain functional activation maps and diffusion tensor fiber tracking images were obtained in all five healthy volunteers and four patients except one who suffered from left hemiplegia.The functional activation maps and the fiber tracking images were successfully fused by the fDf software,where the activations areas and the white matter fiber were displayed together.The fusion images of healthy volunteers showed the hand motion areas and corresponding corticospinal tracts,while that of the patients display the relationship of the eloquent cortex and peritumoral fiber tracts,which were useful in guiding the treatments for the surgeons and radiotherapists.It only took hours to present the fused images to the neurosurgeons or the radiotherapists.Conclusions All the results confirm that the image fusion software work well for all the data.It is an easy,free and fast way to realize the image fusion.The neurosurgeon and radiotherapist consider the software were very helpful for preoperative planning.