Intracranial aneurysm detection: an object detection perspective.

PURPOSE: Intracranial aneurysm detection from 3D Time-Of-Flight Magnetic Resonance Angiography images is a problem of increasing clinical importance. Recently, a streak of methods have shown promising performance by using segmentation neural networks. However, these methods may be less relevant in a clinical settings where diagnostic decisions rely on detecting objects rather than their segmentation. METHODS: We introduce a 3D single-stage object detection method tailored for small object detection such as aneurysms. Our anchor-free method incorporates fast data annotation, adapted data sampling and generation to address class imbalance problem, and spherical representations for improved detection. RESULTS: A comprehensive evaluation was conducted, comparing our method with the state-of-the-art SCPM-Net, nnDetection and nnUNet baselines, using two datasets comprising 402 subjects. The evaluation used adapted object detection metrics. Our method exhibited comparable or superior performance, with an average precision of 78.96%, sensitivity of 86.78%, and 0.53 false positives per case. CONCLUSION: Our method significantly reduces the detection complexity compared to existing methods and highlights the advantages of object detection over segmentation-based approaches for aneurysm detection. It also holds potential for application to other small object detection problems.

3D digital subtracted angiography venous roadmapping for endovascular management of dural venous stenosis.

Stenting of the dural venous sinuses has emerged as a therapeutic option for intracranial hypertension and pulsatile tinnitus. However, venous endovascular navigation faces challenges due to lower-quality roadmaps compared to arterial navigation. This study explores the application of three-dimensional (3D) rotational venography in assessing the cerebral venous vasculature and its potential for venous navigation. The methods involve venous 3D digital subtracted angiography (DSA) in patients with dural venous stenosis, with image acquisition using a biplane angiographic system. The results highlight the enhanced spatial resolution of 3D venous imaging, providing anatomical information crucial for precise characterization of stenosis and understanding cortical venous drainage. 3D venous roadmapping is shown to improve endovascular venous navigation, offering synchronized and rotatable 3D roadmaps, providing a comprehensive approach to optimize endovascular venous interventions.

Virtual diluted cone beam CT for device apposition assessment during endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysm: A technical note.

The increasing use of embolization devices with suboptimal radio-opacity to treat intracranial aneurysm underscores the need for advanced imaging techniques to characterize device-vessel interactions more accurately. Contrast-diluted cone-beam CT is commonly used in neurointervention but requires additional technical refinements to improve endovascular treatment assessment. In this technical note, we describe the virtual dilution cone beam CT (VDCBCT), a technique that synthetizes non-contrast and contrast-enhanced CBCT images to virtually dilute iodinated contrast agents, thereby facilitating a more accurate assessment of embolization device apposition. Through a set of intracranial aneurysms treated with different embolization devices, we describe the VDCBCT protocol and its usefulness for device apposition confidence. VDCBCT may enhance the global understanding of neurovascular embolization treatments by providing improved visualization of target vessels and low-radio-opacity embolization devices, obviating the need for contrast dilution.

CT-guided percutaneous cyanoacrylate injection targeting the spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak: a potential therapeutic option for spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

BACKGROUND: We report the first case series of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous cyanoacrylate injection targeting the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for all consecutive cases of SIH patients with CSF leak confirmed on CT myelography, treated by CT-guided percutaneous cyanoacrylate injection at our institution from 2016 to 2022. On pretreatment brain and spine MRIs, we analyzed signs of SIH according to the Bern score, and dichotomized cases into positive/negative for spinal longitudinal extradural CSF collection (SLEC-P or SLEC-N). The leaks detected on CT myelography were classified into three types according to Schievink et al. We collected the Headache Impact Test 6 (HIT-6) scores throughout a 6-month follow-up, with a brain CT scan at each visit. RESULTS: 11 patients were included (mean age 48.4 years, six men). Five SLEC-P type 1, three SLEC-P type 2, and three SLEC-N type 3 leaks were identified. All patients had significant signs of SIH on pretreatment brain MRI (mean Bern score 7.8±1.1). Six patients underwent a foraminal puncture, and five patients had a cervical epidural approach. Two patients experienced mild and transient locoregional pain after cervical epidural injection. Mean HIT-6 score at baseline was 66.8±3.2 and at the 6-month follow-up was 38±3.6 (P<0.001). All patients achieved improvement in their symptoms, with 82% of them (9/11) having complete resolution of headaches and SIH findings on CT scans at 6 months. No clinical worsening or recurrence was observed. CONCLUSIONS: CT-guided percutaneous cyanoacrylate injection may be a potential therapeutic option for the different types of CSF leak causing SIH.

Surgical Management of Carotid Body Tumors: Experience of Two Centers.

BACKGROUND: Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare but require surgical resection given their potential for growth and malignancy. For some surgical teams, tumor hypervascularity justifies preoperative embolization to facilitate resection and limit complications. The objective of our study was to evaluate 2 different practices of surgical resection with or without preoperative embolization in a 2-center cohort. METHODS: A consecutive series of patients who underwent CBT surgery, from January 2011 to June 2019, were divided into 2 groups, as to whether they were (embolized CBT [ECBT]) or not (nonembolized CBT [NECBT]) preoperatively embolized. Both groups were compared specifically according to the duration of operation, postoperative complications, and length of stay. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients with a mean age of 48.5 ± 14.3 years were included. In the series, 23 CBTs were resected: 13 were embolized preoperatively; the mean time between embolization and surgery was 2.62 ± 1.50 days. Both groups were comparable based on characteristics of population and tumor, with a mean size of 33.2 ± 11.9 mm. We noted a significant increase in operation duration in the ECBT group: 151 min (±40.9) vs. 87.0 min (±21); P < 0.01. There was no difference between the 2 groups regarding cranial nerve (50% vs. 46%; P = 1), sympathetic nervous system (20% vs. 23%; P = 1), or vascular nerve (20% vs. 23%; P = 0.18) complications. No cerebrovascular accident was identified. The length of stay was 3.60 days (±1.78) vs. 3.73 days (±1.19; P = 0.44). CONCLUSIONS: This study reflects the experience of 2 centers in the management of CBT which is a rare pathology with no standardized treatment. Our series showed no significant difference between the ECBT and NECBT groups regarding postoperative complications and length of hospital stay. The reduction in operating time in the NECBT group remains to be demonstrated.

Safety and effectiveness of the LVIS and LVIS Jr devices for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms: Final results of the LEPI multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The Low profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS)/LVIS Jr is a self-expanding braiding stent for the treatment of intracranial aneurysm. This study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of the LVIS/LVIS Jr for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms in a real-world setting. METHODS: This prospective, observational, multicenter study enrolled patients with unruptured, ruptured and recanalized intracranial aneurysms treated with the LVIS stents, between February 2018 to December 2019. Primary endpoint was the cumulative morbidity and mortality rate (CMMR) assessed at 12 months follow-up (FU). RESULTS: A total of 130 patients were included (62.3 % women, mean age 55.9 ± 11.4) on an intention-to-treat basis. Four patients (3.1 %) had 2 target aneurysms; 134 total aneurysms were treated. The aneurysms were mainly located on the middle cerebral artery (41/134; 30.6 %) and the anterior communicating artery (31/134; 23.1 %). The CMMR at 1 year linked to the procedure and/or device was 4.6 % (6/130). The overall mortality was 1.5 % (2/130), none of these deaths adjudged as being linked to the procedure and/or device. All aneurysms (134/134, 100 %) were successfully treated with LVIS stent and/or other devices. At a mean FU of 16.8 months post-procedure, complete/nearly complete occlusion was achieved in 112 aneurysms (92.6 %), and only 3 patients (2.5 %) required aneurysm retreatment. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that the LVIS/LVIS Jr devices are safe and effective in the treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms, with very high rates of adequate occlusion at FU. These angiographic results are stable over time with an acceptable complication rate. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov under NCT03553771.

Longitudinal radiological follow-up of individual level non-ischemic cerebral enhancing lesions following endovascular aneurysm treatment.

BACKGROUND: Non-ischemic cerebral enhancing (NICE) lesions following aneurysm endovascular therapy are exceptionally rare, with unknown longitudinal evolution. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the radiological behavior of individual NICE lesions over time. METHODS: Patients included in a retrospective national multicentric inception cohort were analyzed. NICE lesions were defined, using MRI, as delayed onset punctate, nodular, or annular foci enhancements with peri-lesion edema, distributed in the vascular territory of the aneurysm treatment, with no other confounding disease. Lesion burden and the longitudinal behavior of individual lesions were assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were included, with a median initial lesion burden of 36 (IQR 17-54) on the first MRI scan. Of the 22 patients with at least one follow-up MRI scan, 16 (73%) had new lesions occurring mainly within the first 200 weeks after the date of the procedure. The median number of new lesions per MRI was 6 (IQR 2-16). Among the same 22 patients, 7 (32%) had recurrent lesions. The median persistent enhancement of a NICE lesion was 13 weeks (IQR 6-30). No factor was predictive of early regression of enhancement activity with lesion regression kinetics mainly being patient-dependent. CONCLUSIONS: The behavior of individual NICE lesions was found to be highly variable with an overall patient-dependent regression velocity.

Virtual injection software for endovascular management of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula.

Endovascular management of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is arduous because of complex angioarchitecture and motion artifacts and is limited by the two-dimensional (2D) view. However, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) acquisitions with selective injections allow 3D multiplanar reconstructions contributing to high diagnostic, anatomical and safety value. In this study, we described the use of virtual injection software (VIS) computed from CBCT acquisition and already used for prostatic and cerebral embolization, for the endovascular management of spinal DAVFs (EmboAssist, GE HealthCare, Chicago, USA). The VIS has been designed to facilitate the analysis of the patient's vasculature during the planning of embolization procedures to define the afferent pedicles to the shunt and the incidence of oblique projection, allowing for a better anatomical understanding and helping for the selection of 2D incidence. Combined with 3D roadmapping, VIS allows vessel tracking for selective catheterism and embolization. The VIS is a useful tool for planification and navigation during endovascular treatment of spinal DAVF with a safety value.

Endovascular treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations: clinical outcomes of patients included in the registry of a pragmatic randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: The role of endovascular treatment in the management of patients with brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) remains uncertain. AVM embolization can be offered as stand-alone curative therapy or prior to surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) (pre-embolization). The Treatment of Brain AVMs Study (TOBAS) is an all-inclusive pragmatic study that comprises two randomized trials and multiple registries. METHODS: Results from the TOBAS curative and pre-embolization registries are reported. The primary outcome for this report is death or dependency (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score > 2) at last follow-up. Secondary outcomes include angiographic results, perioperative serious adverse events (SAEs), and permanent treatment-related complications leading to an mRS score > 2. RESULTS: From June 2014 to May 2021, 1010 patients were recruited in TOBAS. Embolization was chosen as the primary curative treatment for 116 patients and pre-embolization prior to surgery or SRS for 92 patients. Clinical and angiographic outcomes were available in 106 (91%) of 116 and 77 (84%) of 92 patients, respectively. In the curative embolization registry, 70% of AVMs were ruptured, and 62% were low-grade AVMs (Spetzler-Martin grade I or II), while the pre-embolization registry had 70% ruptured AVMs and 58% low-grade AVMs. The primary outcome of death or disability (mRS score > 2) occurred in 15 (14%, 95% CI 8%-22%) of the 106 patients in the curative embolization registry (4 [12%, 95% CI 5%-28%] of 32 unruptured AVMs and 11 [15%, 95% CI 8%-25%] of 74 ruptured AVMs) and 9 (12%, 95% CI 6%-21%) of the 77 patients in the pre-embolization registry (4 [17%, 95% CI 7%-37%] of 23 unruptured AVMs and 5 [9%, 95% CI 4%-20%] of 54 ruptured AVMs) at 2 years. Embolization alone was confirmed to occlude the AVM in 32 (30%, 95% CI 21%-40%) of the 106 curative attempts and in 9 (12%, 95% CI 6%-21%) of 77 patients in the pre-embolization registry. SAEs occurred in 28 of the 106 attempted curative patients (26%, 95% CI 18%-35%, including 21 new symptomatic hemorrhages [20%, 95% CI 13%-29%]). Five of the new hemorrhages were in previously unruptured AVMs (n = 32; 16%, 95% CI 5%-33%). Of the 77 pre-embolization patients, 18 had SAEs (23%, 95% CI 15%-34%), including 12 new symptomatic hemorrhages [16%, 95% CI 9%-26%]). Three of the hemorrhages were in previously unruptured AVMs (3/23; 13%, 95% CI 3%-34%). CONCLUSIONS: Embolization as a curative treatment for brain AVMs was often incomplete. Hemorrhagic complications were frequent, even when the specified intent was pre-embolization before surgery or SRS. Because the role of endovascular treatment remains uncertain, it should preferably, when possible, be offered in the context of a randomized trial.

Dosimetric predictive factors for facial nerve paralysis after cyberknife® stereotactic radiotherapy for vestibular schwannomas: A single institution experience of 88 patients.

PURPOSE: To identify dosimetric predictive factors of facial nerve paralysis for patients with vestibular schwannomas (VS) treated in a single institution with Cyberknife® (CK) hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Eighty-eight patients were treated from 2010 to 2020. Different treatment schedules were used over that period, some prescribed to the 80% isodose line (4 × 5 Gy, 3 × 7 Gy, 3 × 8 Gy and 5 × 5 Gy) and one to the 70% isodose line (3 × 7.7 Gy). Local control tumor and facial nerve toxicity were recorded, as well as various dosimetric indicators. RESULTS: Median follow-up 37 months (range, 7-96). Of the 88 stereotactic treatments, 20 patients (23%) developed objectively diagnosed radiation-induced facial nerve paralysis. The 2-year and 5-year local tumor control were respectively 95% and 88%, and the overall 2-year facial nerve preservation was 76%. Prescriptions with a maximum dose point (Dmax) of 33 Gy were at a substantially higher risk of facial paralysis than prescriptions with a Dmax less than or equal to 30 Gy (HR = 4.51, 95% CI = [1.04;19.6], p = 0.045). The 2-years cumulative incidences of facial paralysis were 32% [20%;44%] in the case of a 33 Gy Dmax, against 7% [1%;21%] otherwise. We identified four significative dosimetric predictive factors for radiation-induced facial nerve dysfunction: a GTV minimal dose over 22 Gy (EQD2 = 45.5 Gy, p = 0.019), a GTV mean dose over 29 Gy (EQD2 = 73.5 Gy, HR = 2.84, 95% CI = [1.10;7.36], p = 0.024), a PTV mean dose over 27 Gy (EQD2 = 64.8 Gy, HR = 10.52, 95% CI = [1.39;79.76], p = 0.002) and a PTV maximal dose of 32 Gy (EQD2 = 87.5 Gy,HR = 5.09, 95% CI = [1.17;22.15], p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: We identified four dosimetric predictive factors for post-treatment facial paralysis. Increasing the doses of hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for vestibular schwannomas leads to higher facial nerve toxicity and may lead to lower local control rates than other published series. Our three-hypofractionated regimens may have also played a role in these results.

Susceptibility weighted imaging for ruptured basilar artery perforator aneurysms in the setting of angiographically negative subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Ruptured basilar artery perforator aneurysms (BAPAs), defined as microaneurysms which develop in basilar perforator arteries without direct involvement of the basilar trunk, represent a rare cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The diagnosis of BAPAs is difficult because of their small size, with high rates of negative angiography. The development of high-resolution MRI could increase the diagnostic performance. In this study we describe the usefulness of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) for the diagnosis of ruptured BAPAs. METHODS: In a case series, we retrospectively collected data of patients admitted to our institution from 2018 to 2021 for SAH with negative CT angiography who underwent MRI (including SWI) and DSA during hospitalization. RESULTS: Eight patients with a definitive diagnosis of ruptured BAPA and five patients with a definitive diagnosis of angiogram-negative SAH were included. In all of the patients with BAPAs MRI showed a focal, thick, semi-circumferential SWI hypointensity covering the vessel wall at the level of the BAPA subsequently revealed on DSA; this phenomen is known as 'SWI capping'. No SWI capping was observed in the five patients with a definitive diagnosis of angiogram-negative SAH. CONCLUSION: SWI capping appears to be a reliable indirect sign for the diagnosis and localization of ruptured BAPAs, a rare form of microaneurysm easily misdiagnosed on DSA in initial angiogram-negative SAH.

Prognostic impact of epileptic seizures in multiple sclerosis varies according to time of occurrence and etiology.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Epileptic seizures occur more often in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) than in the general population. Their association with the prognosis of MS remains unclear. This study was undertaken to evaluate whether epileptic seizures may be a prognostic marker of MS disability, according to when the seizure occurs and its cause. METHODS: Data were extracted from a population-based registry of MS in Lorraine, France. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to compare the probability of different levels of irreversible handicap during the course of MS in patients who experience epileptic seizures or do not, according to the chronology and the cause of the first epileptic seizure. RESULTS: Among 6238 patients, 134 had experienced at least one epileptic seizure (2.1%), and 82 (1.2%) had seizures secondary to MS. Patients with epileptic seizure as a first symptom of MS (14 patients) had the same disease progression as other relapsing-remitting MS patients. Patients who developed epileptic seizures during the course of MS (68 patients) had a higher probability of reaching Expanded Disability Status Scale = 3.0 (p = 0.006), 6.0 (p = 0.003), and 7.0 (p = 0.004) than patients without an epileptic background. Patients with a history of epileptic seizures unrelated to MS also had a worse prognosis than patients without an epileptic background. CONCLUSIONS: Epileptic seizures might be viewed as a "classic MS relapse" in terms of prognosis if occurring early in MS, or as a marker of MS severity if developing during the disease. Epileptic diseases other than MS may worsen the course of MS.

Initial PCV Chemotherapy Followed by Radiotherapy Is Associated With a Prolonged Response But Late Neurotoxicity in 20 Diffuse Low-Grade Glioma Patients.

Background: Study RTOG 9802 in high-risk diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGGs) showed the potential synergistic effect on survival of the procarbazine, CCNU, and vincristine (PCV) radiotherapy (RT) combination. Limited data on long-term neurocognitive impact and quality of life (QoL) have yet been reported. Patients and Methods: We described a monocentric series of patients treated at first line by the combination of PCV immediately followed by RT between January 01, 1982 and January 01, 2017. Radiological data were collected and included volume, velocity of diametric expansion (VDE), and MRI aspects. Long-term neurocognitive and QoL were analyzed. Results: Twenty patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The median response rate was 65.1% (range, 9.6%-99%) at the time of maximal VDE decrease corresponding to a median volume reduction of 79.7 cm3 (range, 3.1 to 174.2 cm3), which occurred after a median period of 7.2 years (range, 0.3-21.9) after the end of RT. An ongoing negative VDE was measured in 13/16 patients after the end of RT, with a median duration of 6.7 years (range, 9 months-21.9 years). The median follow-up since radiological diagnosis was 17.5 years (range, 4.8 to 29.5). Estimated median survival was 17.4 years (95% CI: 12; NR). After a long-term follow-up, substantial neurotoxicity was noticed with dementia in six progression-free patients (30%), leading to ventriculo-peritoneal shunt procedures in three, and premature death in five. Thirteen patients (65%) were unable to work with disability status. Successive longitudinal neurocognitive assessments for living patients showed verbal episodic memory deterioration. Conclusions: PCV-RT combination seems to have not only an oncological synergy but also a long-term neurotoxic synergy to consider before initial therapeutic decision.

Non-ischemic cerebral enhancing lesions after intracranial aneurysm endovascular repair: a retrospective French national registry.

BACKGROUND: Non-ischemic cerebral enhancing (NICE) lesions are exceptionally rare following aneurysm endovascular therapy (EVT). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presenting features and longitudinal follow-up of patients with NICE lesions following aneurysm EVT. METHODS: Patients included in a retrospective national multicentre inception cohort were analysed. NICE lesions were defined, using MRI, as delayed onset punctate, nodular or annular foci enhancements with peri-lesion edema, distributed in the vascular territory of the aneurysm EVT, with no other confounding disease. RESULTS: From a pool of 58 815 aneurysm endovascular treatment procedures during the study sampling period (2006-2019), 21/37 centres identified 31 patients with 32 aneurysms of the anterior circulation who developed NICE lesions (mean age 45±10 years). Mean delay to diagnosis was 5±9 months, with onset occurring a month or less after the index EVT procedure in 10 out of 31 patients (32%). NICE lesions were symptomatic at time of onset in 23 of 31 patients (74%). After a mean follow-up of 25±26 months, 25 patients (81%) were asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic without disability (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0-1) at last follow-up while 4 (13%) presented with mild disability (mRS score 2). Clinical follow-up data were unavailable for two patients. Follow-up MRI (available in 27 patients; mean time interval after onset of 22±22 months) demonstrated persistent enhancement in 71% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical spectrum of NICE lesions following aneurysm EVT therapy spans a wide range of neurological symptoms. Clinical course is most commonly benign, although persistent long-term enhancement is frequent.

Endovascular therapy with or without intravenous thrombolysis in acute stroke with tandem occlusion.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular therapy (EVT) is effective and safe in patients with tandem occlusion. The benefit of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) prior to EVT in acute tandem occlusion is debatable. OBJECTIVE: To compare EVT alone with EVT plus IVT in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation tandem occlusions. METHODS: This is an individual patient pooled analysis of the Thrombectomy In TANdem lesions (TITAN) and Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke (ETIS) Registries. Patients were divided into two groups based on prior IVT treatment: (1) IVT+ group, which included patients who received IVT prior to EVT, (2) IVT- group, which included patients who did not receive IVT prior to EVT. Propensity score (inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)) was used to reduce baseline between-group differences. The primary outcome was favorable outcome-that is, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0 to 2 at 90 days. RESULTS: Overall, 602 consecutive patients with an acute stroke with tandem occlusion were included (380 and 222 in the bridging therapy and EVT alone groups, respectively). Onset to imaging time was shorter in the IVT+ group (median 103 vs 140 min). In contrast, imaging to puncture time was longer in the IVT+ group (median 107 vs 91 min). In IPTW analysis, the IVT+ group had higher odds of favorable outcome, excellent outcome (90-day mRS score 0-1), and successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score 2b/3 at the end of EVT). There was no difference in the risk of significant hemorrhagic complications between groups. In secondary analysis of patients treated with acute cervical internal carotid artery stenting, bridging therapy was associated with higher odds of favorable outcome and lower odds of mortality at 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that bridging therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to anterior tandem occlusion is safe and may improve functional outcome, even in the setting of acute cervical internal carotid artery stenting during EVT.

Thrombolysis Improves Reperfusion and the Clinical Outcome in Tandem Occlusion Stroke Related to Cervical Dissection: TITAN and ETIS Pooled Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Despite the widespread adoption of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for the treatment of large vessel occlusion stroke (LVOS) in the anterior circulation, the optimal strategy for the treatment tandem occlusion related to cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) dissection is still debated. This individual patient pooled analysis investigated the safety and efficacy of prior intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in anterior circulation tandem occlusion related to cervical ICA dissection treated with MT. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of two merged prospective multicenter international real-world observational registries: Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke (ETIS) and Thrombectomy In TANdem occlusions (TITAN) registries. Data from MT performed in the treatment of tandem LVOS related to cervical ICA dissection between January 2012 and December 2019 at 24 comprehensive stroke centers were analyzed. The primary endpoint was a favorable outcome defined as 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2. RESULTS: The study included 144 patients with tandem occlusion LVOS due to cervical ICA dissection, of whom 94 (65.3%) received IVT before MT. Prior IVT was significantly associated with a better clinical outcome considering the mRS shift analysis (common odds ratio, 2.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35 to 4.93; P=0.004 for a 1-point improvement) and excellent outcome (90-day mRS 0-1) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.23; 95% CI, 1.60 to 11.18). IVT was also associated with a higher rate of intracranial successful reperfusion (83.0% vs. 64.0%; aOR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.21 to 6.03) and a lower rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (4.3% vs. 14.8%; aOR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.80). CONCLUSIONS: Prior IVT before MT for the treatment of tandem occlusion related to cervical ICA dissection was safe and associated with an improved 90-day functional outcome.

Endovascular Therapy of Anterior Circulation Tandem Occlusions: Pooled Analysis From the TITAN and ETIS Registries.

Background and Purpose: Endovascular therapy for tandem occlusion strokes of the anterior circulation is an effective and safe treatment. The best treatment approach for the cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) lesion is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to compare the functional and safety outcomes between different treatment approaches for the cervical ICA lesion during endovascular therapy for acute ischemic strokes due to tandem occlusion in current clinical practice. Methods: Individual patients' data were pooled from the French prospective multicenter observational ETIS (Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke) and the international TITAN (Thrombectomy in Tandem Lesions) registries. TITAN enrolled patients from January 2012 to September 2016, and ETIS from January 2013 to July 2019. Patients with acute ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation tandem occlusion who were treated with endovascular therapy were included. Patients were divided based on the cervical ICA lesion treatment into stent and no-stent groups. Outcomes were compared between the two treatment groups using propensity score methods. Results: A total of 603 patients were included, of whom 341 were treated with acute cervical ICA stenting. In unadjusted analysis, the stent group had higher rate of favorable outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale score, 0­2; 57% versus 45%) and excellent outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale score, 0­1; 40% versus 27%) compared with the no-stent group. In inverse probability of treatment weighting propensity score­adjusted analyses, stent group had higher odds of favorable outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.01­1.19]; P=0.036) and successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Ischemia score, 2b-3; adjusted odds ratio, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.11­1.27]; P<0.001). However, stent group had higher odds of any intracerebral hemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio, 1.10 [95%, 1.02­1.19]; P=0.017) but not higher rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage or parenchymal hemorrhage type 2. Subgroup analysis demonstrated heterogeneity according to the lesion type (atherosclerosis versus dissection; P for heterogeneity, 0.01), and the benefit from acute carotid stenting was only observed for patients with atherosclerosis. Conclusions: Patients treated with acute cervical ICA stenting for tandem occlusion strokes had higher odds of 90-day favorable outcome, despite higher odds of intracerebral hemorrhage; however, most of the intracerebral hemorrhages were asymptomatic.

Effect of Operator's Experience on Proficiency in Mechanical Thrombectomy: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate among trained interventional neuroradiologist, whether increasing individual experience was associated with an improvement in mechanical thrombectomy (MT) procedural performance metrics. METHODS: Individual MT procedural data from 5 centers of the Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke registry and 2 additional high-volume stroke centers were pooled. Operator experience was defined for each operator as a continuous variable, cumulating the number of MT procedures performed since January 2015, as MT became standard of care or, if later than this date, since the operator started performing mechanical thrombectomies in autonomy. We tested the associations between operator's experience and procedural metrics. RESULTS: A total of 4516 procedures were included, performed by 36 operators at 7 distinct centers, with a median of 97.5 endovascular treatment procedures per operator (interquartile range, 57-170.2) over the study period. Higher operator's experience, analyzed as a continuous variable, was associated with a significantly shorter procedural duration (ß estimate, -3.98 [95% CI, -5.1 to -2.8]; P<0.001), along with local anesthesia and M1 occlusion location in multivariable models. Increasing experience was associated with better Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scores (estimate, 1.02 [1-1.04]; P=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: In trained interventional neuroradiologists, increasing experience in MT is associated with significantly shorter procedural duration and better reperfusion rates, with a theoretical ceiling effect observed after around 100 procedures. These results may inform future training and practice guidelines to set minimal experience standards before autonomization, and to set-up operators' recertification processes tailored to individual case volume and prior experience.

SOFIA catheter for direct aspiration of large vessel occlusion stroke: A single-center cohort and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Direct aspiration (DA) using large-bore distal aspiration catheters is an established strategy for the endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) of large-vessel occlusion stroke (LVOS). However, the performance of individual catheters like SOFIA has yet to be examined. METHODS: We present a cohort of 144 consecutive patients treated with first-line DA and SOFIA 6 F Plus catheter for LVOS. We also conducted a systematic review of the literature searching multiple databases for reports on thrombectomy with DA and SOFIA catheters and performed a meta-analysis of recanalization, safety, and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: In the study cohort a successful recanalization (mTICI 2b-3) rate of 75.7% was achieved with DA alone, the global rate for functional independence (90-day mRS 0-2) was 40.3%. For the metanalysis we selected nine articles that included a total of 758 patients treated with first-line thrombectomy with the SOFIA catheters. The mTICI 2b-3 rate was 71.6% (95%CI, 66.3-76.5%) while a rescue stent-retriever was used in 24.1% (95%CI, 17.7-31.9%) of cases. The overall mTICI2b-3 rate after DA and rescue therapy was 88.9% (95%CI, 82.6-93.1%). We found a pooled estimate of 45.6% (95%CI, 38.6-52.8%) for functional independence, a mortality within 90 days of 19% (95%CI, 14.1-25.0%) and a rate of 5.8% (95%CI, 4.2-8.0%) of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: The DA approach for LVOS with the SOFIA catheters is highly effective with an efficacy and safety profile comparable to those found in contemporary thrombectomy trials and observational studies that use other devices or approaches.