Objectives: We decided to perform computer-aided analysis of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) to check for a potential correlation with anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysm presence and growth.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the ACA anatomy of 121 patients with ACoA aneurysms along with 121 age, risk factors, and vessel side-matched control patients without an ACoA aneurysm. We obtained their medical history and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) data from their medical records. For each patient's DSA, we extracted curve representing the course of their ACA and calculated its relative length (RL), sum of angle metrics (SOAM), triangular index (TI), product of angle distance (PAD), and inflection count metrics (ICM).
Results: Patients with ACoA aneurysm had significantly higher RL (0.64 ± 0.23 vs. 0.56 ± 0.22; p < 0.01), SOAM (0.27 ± 0.19 vs. 0.18 ± 0.15; p < 0.01), PAD (0.12 ± 0.13 vs. 0.09 ± 0.11; p = 0.02), and TI (0.57 ± 0.14 vs. 0.44 ± 0.15; p < 0.01). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for possible confounders, SOAM (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.12-1.63; p < 0.01) and TI (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.47-2.35; p < 0.01) remained independently associated with higher risk of ACoA aneurysm. Additionally, we found significant negative correlations between TI and aneurysm dome size (R = - 0.194; p = 0.047).
Conclusions: Increased tortuosity of ACA might increase the risk of ACoA aneurysm development and decrease the risk of aneurysm growth.
Key points: • Anterior cerebral artery's sum of angle metrics is associated with hypertension as well as with history of ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. • Increased tortuosity of anterior cerebral artery might be associated with anterior communicating artery aneurysm development. • Tortuosity of anterior cerebral artery is negatively correlated with anterior communicating artery aneurysm dome size.
Keywords: Anterior cerebral artery; Anterior communicating artery aneurysm; Risk factors.