Usefulness of 3D Digital Subtraction Angiography in the Endovascular Approach of Cerebral Aneurysms

Abstract

Introduction: The trend in management of intracranial aneurysms has shifted during the last decades to minimally invasive endovascular procedures. The usefulness of new imaging tools such as digital subtraction angiography in 3D (3D DSA), added to the experience of neurointerventional radiologists, have led to greater definition and accuracy in the study of intracranial aneurysms. Objective: To describe the usefulness of three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography for pre and post embolization approach of intracranial aneurysms. Methodology: A cross-sectional study between January 2016 and April 2017 in patients diagnosed with arterial cerebral aneurysms at the Hospital Infantil Universitario San José in Bogota, Colombia. Results: 32 patients were included, 71.8% (n = 23) were women. Among the risk factors for aneurysm rupture, the most frequent was age above 40 years (81.8%). The most frequent location was in the Right Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) (30.3%). All cases corresponded to saccular aneurysms. In the immediate post-embolization angiographic control it was evidence that 16 cases (48.5%) presented residual sac. Conclusions: The realization of multiplanar projections with 3D angiographic reconstruction allows for a better characterization of the aneurysm and evaluation of the adjacent anatomical structures, being very useful for the planning of the procedure and in the follow-up.