High-Resolution Vessel Wall Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Small Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Łukasz Zwarzany; Ernest Tyburski; Wojciech Poncyljusz

doi:10.3390/jcm10020225

High-Resolution Vessel Wall Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Small Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

J Clin Med. 2021 Jan 10;10(2):225. doi: 10.3390/jcm10020225.

Authors

Łukasz Zwarzany¹, Ernest Tyburski², Wojciech Poncyljusz¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Pomeranian Medical University, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland.
² Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Kutrzeby 10, 61-719 Poznań, Poland.

Abstract

Background: We decided to investigate whether aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) on high-resolution vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (HR VW-MRI) coexists with the conventional risk factors for aneurysm rupture. Methods: We performed HR VW-MRI in 46 patients with 64 unruptured small intracranial aneurysms. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were recorded. The PHASES score was calculated for each aneurysm. Results: Of the 64 aneurysms, 15 (23.4%) showed wall enhancement on post-contrast HR VW-MRI. Aneurysms with wall enhancement had significantly larger size (p = 0.001), higher dome-to-neck ratio (p = 0.024), and a more irregular shape (p = 0.003) than aneurysms without wall enhancement. The proportion of aneurysms with wall enhancement was significantly higher in older patients (p = 0.011), and those with a history of prior aneurysmal SAH. The mean PHASES score was significantly higher in aneurysms with wall enhancement (p < 0.000). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that aneurysm irregularity and the PHASES score are independently associated with the presence of AWE. Conclusions: Aneurysm wall enhancement on HR VW-MRI coexists with the conventional risk factors for aneurysm rupture.

Keywords: MRI; aneurysm wall enhancement; unruptured intracranial aneurysm; vessel wall imaging.