Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Pipeline Embolization Device in Anterior and Posterior Circulation Aneurysms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Flow diversion using the pipeline embolization device (PED) has been a paradigm shift for anterior circulation (AC) aneurysms. However, only a few studies report the long-term (≥1 year) angiographic and clinical outcomes for posterior circulation (PC) aneurysms. This study aims to compare the long-term safety and efficacy of treatment of AC and PC aneurysms with PED. METHODS: The databases included Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid Cochrane, and Scopus. Studies with at least 10 patients and 1-year follow-up were included. Twenty-four studies met our inclusion criteria. A random effect meta-analysis was performed to estimate the ischemic and hemorrhagic complications. A meta-analysis of proportions was performed to estimate the pooled rates of long-term complete aneurysmal occlusion, symptomatic stroke, aneurysmal rupture, and intracranial hemorrhage. RESULTS: There were 1952 aneurysms, of which 1547 (79.25%) were in the AC and 405 (20.75%) in the PC. The 1-year occlusion rate was 78% in AC compared to 73% in PC aneurysms (P < 0.01). The symptomatic infarct rate was 5% in AC compared to 13% in PC (P < 0.01). While the rupture rate was 1% in AC compared to 4% in PC (P = 0.01), the rate of intracranial hemorrhage was 2% for both (P = 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The long-term occlusion rate after PED was higher in AC aneurysms, and the cumulative incidence of stroke and aneurysm rupture was higher in PC aneurysms.

Recurrence of cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistulas at different spinal levels following transvenous embolisation or blood/fibrin glue patching.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This study presents cases of recurrent cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistulas (CVFs) de novo at a different spinal level following successful treatment of initial CVFs. The aim was to highlight this rarely described phenomenon and report the clinical and imaging features after initial treatment, providing insights into the dynamics of recurrent CVFs. CLINICAL RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: Understanding the course of CVFs post-treatment is crucial for optimising patient management, especially when symptoms persist or recur. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients with recurrent CVFs at a different level after treatment of their initial CVF at our institution. Clinical and imaging records were reviewed and summarised, including Bern score features on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after treatment. RESULTS: Four patients with five recurrent CVFs were identified. Recurrent or persistent symptoms encouraged subsequent brain MRI scans, which revealed different outcomes: i.e. persistence, or improvement, or complete resolution of abnormal findings. Initial positive responses included improvement of the pachymeningeal enhancement and venous sinus distension. These improvements were reversed when recurrent symptoms arose, which was also correlated with changes in the Bern score. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Recognising the factors of CVF recurrence is crucial for comprehensive management. This study underlines the significance of repeated evaluation of persistent or recurring symptoms of CSF leak after treatment for CVFs.

Safety and efficacy of the pipeline embolization device for treatment of small vs. large aneurysms: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Flow diversion with the pipeline embolization device (PED) is increasingly used to treat intracranial aneurysms with high obliteration rates and low morbidity. However, long-term (≥ 1 year) angiographic and clinical outcomes still require further investigation. The aim of this study was to compare the occlusion and complication rates for small (< 10 mm) versus large (10-25 mm) aneurysms at long-term following treatment with PED. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. We conducted a comprehensive search of English language databases including Ovid MEDLINE and Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process, and Daily, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus. Our studies included a minimum of 10 patients treated with PED for small vs. large aneurysms and with at least 12 months of follow-up. The primary safety endpoint was the rate of clinical complications measured by the occurrence of symptomatic stroke (confirmed clinically and radiographically), intracranial hemorrhage, or aneurysmal rupture. The primary efficacy endpoint was the complete aneurysm occlusion rate. Our analysis included 19 studies with 1277 patients and 1493 aneurysms. Of those, 1378 aneurysms met our inclusion criteria. The mean age was 53.9 years, and most aneurysms were small (89.75%; N = 1340) in women (79.1%; N = 1010). The long-term occlusion rate was 73% (95%, CI 65 to 80%) in small compared to 84% (95%, CI 76 to 90%) in large aneurysms (p < 0.01). The symptomatic thromboembolic complication rate was 5% (95%, CI 3 to 9%) in small compared to 7% (95%, CI 4 to 13%) in large aneurysms (p = 0.01). The rupture rate was 2% vs. 4% (p = 0.92), and the rate of intracranial hemorrhage was 2% vs. 4% (p = 0.96) for small vs. large aneurysms, respectively; however, these differences were not statistically significant. The long-term occlusion rate after PED treatment is higher in large vs. small aneurysms. Symptomatic thromboembolic rates with stroke are also higher in large vs. small aneurysms. The difference in the rates of aneurysm rupture and intracranial hemorrhage was insignificant. Although the PED seems a safe and effective treatment for small and large aneurysms, further studies are required to clarify how occlusion rate and morbidity are affected by aneurysm size.

Transvenous embolization of cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistulas: Independent validation and feasibility of upper-extremity approach and using dual-microcatheter and balloon pressure cooker technique.

BACKGROUND: Transvenous embolization is emerging as a promising treatment for cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistulas (CVF) associated with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). OBJECTIVE: To perform an independent validation of the efficacy and safety of the procedure and describe the procedural techniques used at our institution. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed including consecutive patients with SIH who had undergone CVF embolization with 3-month clinical and imaging follow-up. Clinical evaluation included the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) Scale and six-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6). Bern SIH score was used for imaging evaluation on brain MRI. Post-treatment changes in scores were assessed by Wilcoxon signed rank test. Procedural technical details, including use of upper-extremity access and dual-microcatheter pressure cooker technique, were recorded. RESULTS: 18 patients (13 female, median age 60 years) were included. 17 (94%) procedures were performed with upper-extremity access and 12 (67%) using dual-microcatheter pressure cooker technique. After embolization, 16 (89%) patients reported much or very much improved at follow-up PGIC; median (IQR) HIT-6 score improved from 68 (62-72) to 36 (36-38) and Bern SIH score improved from 8 (6-8) to 3 (1.5-3.5), p values <0.001. Side effects were transient embolization site back pain in 15 (83%) and rebound intracranial hypertension requiring medical management in 9 (50%) patients. HIT-6 and Bern SIH score changes were similar between conventional and pressure cooker techniques (p values >0.05). CONCLUSION: Transvenous embolization is independently validated as a highly effective and safe treatment for CVF and is feasible using upper-extremity venous access. Dual-microcatheter and balloon/coil pressure cooker techniques may be used to optimize distribution of embolic material and potentially, treatment efficacy.

Advanced cross-sectional imaging of cerebral aneurysms.

While the rupture rate of cerebral aneurysms is only 1% per year, ruptured aneurysms are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, while aneurysm treatments have their own associated risk of morbidity and mortality. Conventional markers for aneurysm rupture include patient-specific and aneurysm-specific characteristics, with the development of scoring systems to better assess rupture risk. These scores, however, rely heavily on aneurysm size, and their accuracy in assessing risk in smaller aneurysms is limited. While the individual risk of rupture of small aneurysms is low, due to their sheer number, the largest proportion of ruptured aneurysms are small aneurysms. Conventional imaging techniques are valuable in characterizing aneurysm morphology; however, advanced imaging techniques assessing the presence of inflammatory changes within the aneurysm wall, hemodynamic characteristics of blood flow within aneurysm sacs, and imaging visualization of irregular aneurysm wall motion have been used to further determine aneurysm instability that otherwise cannot be characterized by conventional imaging techniques. The current manuscript reviews conventional imaging techniques and their value and limitations in cerebral aneurysm characterization, and evaluates the applications, value and limitations of advanced aneurysm imaging and post-processing techniques including intracranial vessel wall MRA, 4D-flow, 4D-CTA, and computational fluid dynamic simulations.

Dual microcatheter and coil/balloon pressure cooker technique for transvenous embolization of cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistulas.

Cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula is increasingly recognized as a cause of spontaneous intracranial hypotension.1 Transvenous embolization is emerging as an efficacious minimally invasive treatment.2-4 The procedure aims to embolize paraspinal and foraminal veins draining the fistula; however, complete embolization may be challenging as numerous small venous tributaries at the foraminal venous plexus, including dorsal muscular branches, may serve as additional routes of cerebrospinal fluid egress.5 To ensure curative embolization, we adopted a dual microcatheter pressure cooker technique, previously used for treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations.6 This allows improved control of embolic material reflux and greater chance of complete embolization of the site of the fistula and all potential venous tributaries. Video 1 demonstrates this technique employed in a typical case using Onyx (Medtronic, Minnesota, USA) to embolize a cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula at the left L1 neural foramen. neurintsurg;15/6/614/V1F1V1Video 1Technical video demonstrating dual-microcatheter and coil/balloon pressure cooker technique.

Lateral Decubitus Dynamic CT Myelography with Real-Time Bolus Tracking (dCTM-BT) for Evaluation of CSF-Venous Fistulas: Diagnostic Yield Stratified by Brain Imaging Findings.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: CSF-venous fistulas (CVFs) associated with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) may have a transient appearance, relative to contrast arrival, which may influence the diagnostic performance of lateral decubitus CT myelography (CTM). We developed a dynamic CTM protocol using real-time bolus-tracking (dCTM-BT) to improve the temporal resolution and standardize the timing of CTM acquisitions post-intrathecal contrast administration. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the feasibility of the dCTM-BT technique and evaluate its diagnostic yield for CVF detection, stratified by brain MRI SIH findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with suspected SIH without extradural fluid collection on spine MRI who underwent dCTM-BT were retrospectively reviewed. CT bolus monitoring was performed at the upper thoracic level. Following the visualization of dense intrathecal contrast, at least 3 CTM acquisitions of the spine were obtained and reviewed by 2 neuroradiologists. The Bern SIH score was calculated on the brain MRI. The diagnostic yield for CVF detection was evaluated, stratified by Bern score categories and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: Out of 48 patients, 23 (48%) had a CVF on dCTM-BT, located at T1-5 (n = 4), T6-12 (n = 18), L1 (n = 1), with 70% on the right. CVF was identified in 22/22 (100%) of patients who had a high Bern score, 1/7 (14%) of those who had an intermediate score, and 0/19 (0%) of those who had a low score. The area under the ROC curve was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.98-1.00). The optimal cutoff was a Bern score of ≥5 (96% sensitivity, 100% specificity). CONCLUSIONS: dCTM-BT is feasible and has excellent diagnostic performance for CVF identification/localization. The Bern score is strongly associated with CVF detection and may help inform who will benefit from dCTM-BT.

Clinical and radiographic characteristics of sacral arteriovenous fistulas: a multicenter experience.

OBJECTIVE: Available data on management of sacral arteriovenous fistulas (sAVFs) are limited to individual case reports and small series. Management includes observation, endovascular embolization, or surgical ligation, with no clear guidelines on the optimal treatment modality. The authors' objective was to report their multiinstitutional experience with management of sAVF patients, including clinical and radiographic characteristics and postprocedural outcomes. METHODS: The electronic medical records of patients with a diagnosis of spinal arteriovenous fistula treated from January 2004 to December 2019 at the authors' institutions were reviewed, and data were summarized using descriptive statistics, including percentage and count for categorical data, median as a measure of central tendency for continuous variables, and interquartile range (IQR) as a measure of dispersion. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients with sAVFs were included. The median (IQR) age was 65 (57-73) years, and 73% (n = 19) of patients were male. Lower-extremity weakness was the most common presenting symptom (n = 24 [92%]), and half the patients (n = 13 [50%]) reported bowel and bladder sphincter dysfunction. The median (IQR) time from symptom onset to treatment was 12 (5.25-26.25) months. Radiographically, all patients had T2 hyperintensity at the level of the conus medullaris (CM) (n = 26 [100%]). Intradural flow voids were identified in 85% (n = 22) of patients. The majority of the lesions had a single identifiable arterial feeder (n = 19 [73%]). The fistula was located most commonly at the S1 level (n = 13 [50%]). The site where the draining vein connects to the pial venous plexus was seen predominantly at the lumbar level (n = 16 [62%]). In total, 29 procedures were performed: 10 open surgeries and 19 endovascular embolization procedures. Complete occlusion was achieved in 90% (n = 9) of patients after open surgery and 79% (n = 15) after endovascular embolization. Motor improvement was seen in 68% of patients (n = 15), and bladder and bowel function improved in 9 patients (41%). At last follow-up, 73% (n = 16) of patients had either resolution or improvement of the pretreatment intramedullary T2 signal hyperintensity. CONCLUSIONS: T2 hyperintensity of the CM and a dilated filum terminale vein are consistent radiographic signs of sAVF, and delayed presentation is common. Complete occlusion was achieved in almost all patients after surgery, and endovascular embolization was effective in 70% of the patients. Further studies are needed to determine the best treatment modality based on case-specific characteristics.

Management of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms in the Post-International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial Era: A Single-Centre Prospective Series.

BACKGROUND: Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial (ISAT) reported reduced morbidity in patients treated with endovascular coiling versus surgical clipping. However, recent studies suggest that there is no significant difference in clinical outcomes. This study examines the outcomes of either technique for treating aSAH during the 15 years post-ISAT at a Canadian quaternary centre. METHODS: We reviewed prospectively collected data of patients admitted with aSAH from January 2002 to December 2017. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was compared at discharge, 6 months and 12 months' follow-up using univariate and multivariable ordinal logistic regression. Post-operative complications were assessed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Two-hundred and eighty-seven patients were treated with coiling and 95 patients with clipping. The mean age of clipped patients was significantly younger, and hypertension was significantly commoner in coiled patients. A greater proportion of coiled aneurysms were located in the posterior circulation. No difference in the odds of having a favourable GOS was seen between patients who were clipped versus coiled at any of follow-up time points on univariate or multivariable analysis. In both treatment groups, patient recovery to independence (GOS 4-5) was seen from discharge to 6 months, but not from 6 to 12 months' follow-up, without difference between clipping and coiling. CONCLUSION: These real-world findings suggest clipping remains an effective and important treatment option for patients with aSAH who do not meet ISAT inclusion criteria. The results can assist in clinical decision-making processes and understanding of the natural recovery progression of aSAH.

Republished: Successful treatment of direct carotid-cavernous fistula in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV without arterial puncture: the transvenous triple-overlay embolization (TAILOREd) technique.

We report successful transvenous treatment of direct carotid-cavernous fistula in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV using a novel triple-overlay embolization (TAILOREd) technique without the need for arterial puncture, which is known to be highly risky in this patient group. The TAILOREd technique allowed for successful treatment using preoperative MR angiography as a three-dimensional overlay roadmap combined with cone beam CT and live fluoroscopy, precluding the need for an arterial puncture.

Vascular Trauma in the Head and Neck and Endovascular Neurointerventional Management.

Traumatic vascular injuries of the head and neck can pose life-threatening emergencies, and therefore, the detection and accurate characterization of these injuries by the radiologist is essential. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is commonly performed as part of the initial imaging work-up of patients who have sustained blunt or penetrating craniocervical injuries and are suspected to have or are at risk for vascular injuries. This pictorial essay reviews the CTA and conventional angiographic imaging appearance of various vascular injuries that can occur from trauma in the head and neck and also explores the neurointerventional management of these types of injuries.

Republished: Competitive flow diversion of multiple P1 aneurysms: proposed classification.

We report the case of a patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage and three aneurysms arising from the posterior communicating artery (Pcomm)-P1 complex, treated with endovascular coiling and competitive flow diversion. The largest and likely ruptured Pcomm aneurysm was treated with traditional coiling. Two smaller potentially ruptured aneurysms arose from the distal right posterior cerebral artery (PCA) P1 segment. After a failed attempt to treat with conventional flow diversion across the PCA-P1 segment, the P1 aneurysms were successfully treated with competitive flow diversion distal to the PCA-P1 segment from Pcomm to the P2 segment. Over 12 months, competitive flow diversion redirected flow to the right PCA territory via the internal carotid artery-Pcomm-P2, reducing the size of the PCA-P1 segment and obliterating the P1 aneurysms. Competitive flow diversion treatment should be considered for aneurysms occurring at the circle of Willis when traditional methods are not feasible. Herein, we introduce a novel classification for competitive flow diversion treatment.

Competitive flow diversion of multiple P1 aneurysms: proposed classification.

We report the case of a patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage and three aneurysms arising from the posterior communicating artery (Pcomm)-P1 complex, treated with endovascular coiling and competitive flow diversion. The largest and likely ruptured Pcomm aneurysm was treated with traditional coiling. Two smaller potentially ruptured aneurysms arose from the distal right posterior cerebral artery (PCA) P1 segment. After a failed attempt to treat with conventional flow diversion across the PCA-P1 segment, the P1 aneurysms were successfully treated with competitive flow diversion distal to the PCA-P1 segment from Pcomm to the P2 segment. Over 12 months, competitive flow diversion redirected flow to the right PCA territory via the internal carotid artery-Pcomm-P2, reducing the size of the PCA-P1 segment and obliterating the P1 aneurysms. Competitive flow diversion treatment should be considered for aneurysms occurring at the circle of Willis when traditional methods are not feasible. Herein, we introduce a novel classification for competitive flow diversion treatment.

The ability of magnetic resonance black blood vessel wall imaging to evaluate blunt cerebrovascular injury following acute trauma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) is associated with a significant risk of ischemic stroke when left untreated. Cross-sectional imaging is vital to early BCVI diagnosis and treatment; however, conventional luminal vessel imaging is limited in its ability to evaluate for vessel wall pathology. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (VWI) to detect and evaluate BCVI in acutely injured trauma patients relative to neck computed tomographic angiography (CTA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Trauma patients with suspected BCVI on initial neck CTA were prospectively recruited for VWI evaluation. Two neuroradiologists blinded to patient clinical history and CTA findings evaluated each artery independently on VWI and noted the presence and grade of BCVI. These results were subsequently compared to neck CTA findings relative to expert clinical consensus review. Interrater reliability of VWI for detecting BCVI was evaluated using a weighted Cohen κ-statistic. RESULTS: Ten trauma patients (40 cervical arteries) were prospectively evaluated using both CTA and VWI. Out of 18 vascular lesions identified as suspicious for BCVI on CTA, six lesions were determined to represent true BCVI by expert consensus review. There was almost perfect agreement between VWI and expert consensus regarding the presence and grade of BCVI (κ=0.82). This agreement increased when considering only low grade BCVI. There was only fair agreement between CTA and expert clinical consensus (κ=0.36). This agreement decreased when considering only low grade BCVI. CONCLUSIONS: VWI can potentially accurately identify and evaluate BCVI in acutely injured trauma patients with excellent inter-rater reliability.

Vessel wall MRI characteristics of endovascularly treated aneurysms: association with angiographic vasospasm.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to evaluate the association between intracranial vessel wall MRI enhancement characteristics and the development of angiographic vasospasm in endovascularly treated aneurysm patients. METHODS: Consecutive cases of both ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms that were treated endovascularly, followed by intracranial vessel wall MRI in the immediate postoperative period, were included. Two raters blinded to clinical data and follow-up imaging independently evaluated for the presence, pattern, and intensity of wall enhancement. Development of angiographic vasospasm was independently evaluated. Delayed cerebral ischemia; cerebral infarct; procedural details; and presence and grade of subarachnoid, parenchymal, and intraventricular hemorrhage were evaluated. Statistical associations were determined on a per-vessel segment and per-patient basis. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients with 30 treated aneurysms (8 unruptured and 22 ruptured) were included in this study. Interobserver agreement was substantial for the presence of enhancement (κ = 0.67) and nearly perfect for distribution (κ = 0.87) and intensity (κ = 0.84) of wall enhancement. Patients with ruptured aneurysms had a significantly greater number of enhancing segments than those with unruptured aneurysms (29.9% vs 7.2%; OR 5.5, 95% CI 2.2-13.7). For ruptured cases, wall enhancement was significantly associated with subsequent angiographic vasospasm while controlling for grade of hemorrhage (adjusted OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.7-9.4). Vessel segments affected by balloon, stent, or flow-diverter use demonstrated greater enhancement than those not affected (OR 22.7, 95% CI 5.3-97.2 for ruptured; and OR 12.9, 95% CI 3.3-49.8 for unruptured). CONCLUSIONS: Vessel wall enhancement after endovascular treatment of ruptured aneurysms is associated with subsequent angiographic vasospasm.

Combining Spot Sign and Intracerebral Hemorrhage Score to Estimate Functional Outcome: Analysis From the PREDICT Cohort.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) score is the most commonly used grading scale for stratifying functional outcome in patients with acute ICH. We sought to determine whether a combination of the ICH score and the computed tomographic angiography spot sign may improve outcome prediction in the cohort of a prospective multicenter hemorrhage trial. METHODS: Prospectively collected data from 241 patients from the observational PREDICT study (Prediction of Hematoma Growth and Outcome in Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage Using the CT-Angiography Spot Sign) were analyzed. Functional outcome at 3 months was dichotomized using the modified Rankin Scale (0-3 versus 4-6). Performance of (1) the ICH score and (2) the spot sign ICH score-a scoring scale combining ICH score and spot sign number-was tested. RESULTS: Multivariable analysis demonstrated that ICH score (odds ratio, 3.2; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-4.8) and spot sign number (n=1: odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-7.4; n>1: odds ratio, 3.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-17.1) were independently predictive of functional outcome at 3 months with similar odds ratios. Prediction of functional outcome was not significantly different using the spot sign ICH score compared with the ICH score alone (spot sign ICH score area under curve versus ICH score area under curve: P=0.14). CONCLUSIONS: In the PREDICT cohort, a prognostic score adding the computed tomographic angiography-based spot sign to the established ICH score did not improve functional outcome prediction compared with the ICH score.

Successful treatment of direct carotid-cavernous fistula in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV without arterial puncture: the transvenous triple-overlay embolization (TAILOREd) technique.

We report successful transvenous treatment of direct carotid-cavernous fistula in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV using a novel triple-overlay embolization (TAILOREd) technique without the need for arterial puncture, which is known to be highly risky in this patient group. The TAILOREd technique allowed for successful treatment using preoperative MR angiography as a three-dimensional overlay roadmap combined with cone beam CT and live fluoroscopy, precluding the need for an arterial puncture.

Intradural spinal varix: the "doughnut" sign on T 2 weighted MR and confirmation with gadolinium-enhanced arterial and blood pool MR angiography.

Intradural spinal varices are rare lesions, with only three cases being previously reported in the literature. Previously described patients underwent MRI for non-specific low back pain and radiculopathy and were found to have an intradural lesion adjacent to the cauda equina, mimicking a nerve sheath tumour or ependymoma. Consideration of an intradural varix in the differential diagnosis of an intradural extramedullary spinal lesion is necessary to guide appropriate management. We report a case of an intradural spinal varix diagnosed with first-pass arterial and blood pool phase gadolinium-enhanced auto-triggered elliptic centric-ordered MR angiography. Digital subtraction angiography confirmed that there was no shunt but failed to demonstrate the varix. We reviewed the existing literature to look for common clinical and imaging features.

Validation of the 9-Point and 24-Point Hematoma Expansion Prediction Scores and Derivation of the PREDICT A/B Scores.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nine- and 24-point prediction scores have recently been published to predict hematoma expansion (HE) in acute intracerebral hemorrhage. We sought to validate these scores and perform an independent analysis of HE predictors. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 301 primary or anticoagulation-associated intracerebral hemorrhage patients presenting <6 hours post ictus prospectively enrolled in the Predicting Hematoma Growth and Outcome in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Using Contrast Bolus Computed Tomography (PREDICT) study. Patients underwent baseline computed tomography angiography and 24-hour noncontrast computed tomography follow-up for HE analysis. Discrimination and calibration of the 9- and 24-point scores was assessed. Independent predictors of HE were identified using multivariable regression and incorporated into the PREDICT A/B scores, which were then compared with existing scores. RESULTS: The 9- and 24-point HE scores demonstrated acceptable discrimination for HE>6 mL or 33% and >6 mL, respectively (area under the curve of 0.706 and 0.755, respectively). The 24-point score demonstrated appropriate calibration in the PREDICT cohort (χ2 statistic, 11.5; P=0.175), whereas the 9-point score demonstrated poor calibration (χ2 statistic, 34.3; P<0.001). Independent HE predictors included spot sign number, time from onset, warfarin use or international normalized ratio>1.5, Glasgow Coma Scale, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and were included in PREDICT A/B scores. PREDICT A showed improved discrimination compared with both existing scores, whereas performance of PREDICT B varied by definition of expansion. CONCLUSIONS: The 9- and 24-point expansion scores demonstrate acceptable discrimination in an independent multicenter cohort; however, calibration was suboptimal for the 9-point score. The PREDICT A score showed improved discrimination for HE prediction but requires independent validation.

Venous phase of computed tomography angiography increases spot sign detection, but intracerebral hemorrhage expansion is greater in spot signs detected in arterial phase.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Variability in computed tomography angiography (CTA) acquisitions may be one explanation for the modest accuracy of the spot sign for predicting intracerebral hemorrhage expansion detected in the multicenter Predicting Hematoma Growth and Outcome in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Using Contrast Bolus CT (PREDICT) study. This study aimed to determine the frequency of the spot sign in intracerebral hemorrhage and its relationship with hematoma expansion depending on the phase of image acquisition. METHODS: PREDICT study was a prospective observational cohort study of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage presenting within 6 hours from onset. A post hoc analysis of the Hounsfield units of an artery and venous structure were measured on CTA source images of the entire PREDICT cohort in a core laboratory. Each CTA study was classified into arterial or venous phase and into 1 of 5 specific image acquisition phases. Significant hematoma expansion and total hematoma enlargement were recorded at 24 hours. RESULTS: Overall (n=371), 77.9% of CTA were acquired in arterial phase. The spot sign, present in 29.9% of patients, was more frequently seen in venous phase as compared with arterial phase (39% versus 27.3%; P=0.041) and the later the phase of image acquisition (P=0.095). Significant hematoma expansion (P=0.253) and higher total hematoma enlargement (P=0.019) were observed more frequently among spot sign-positive patients with earlier phases of image acquisition. CONCLUSIONS: Later image acquisition of CTA improves the frequency of spot sign detection. However, spot signs identified in earlier phases may be associated with greater absolute enlargement. A multiphase CTA including arterial and venous acquisitions could be optimal in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.