Management of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Ajay Malhotra; Xiao Wu; Dheeraj Gandhi

doi:10.1016/j.nic.2021.02.001

Management of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2021 May;31(2):139-146. doi: 10.1016/j.nic.2021.02.001.

Authors

Ajay Malhotra¹, Xiao Wu², Dheeraj Gandhi³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. Electronic address: ajay.malhotra@yale.edu.
² Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California, 5-5 Parnassus Avenue Room M-361, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
³ Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Neurosurgery and Neurology, University of Maryland, 22 S Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

PMID: 33902869
DOI: 10.1016/j.nic.2021.02.001

Abstract

Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) are common and are being detected with increasing frequency given the improved quality and higher frequency of cross-sectional imaging. The long-term natural history of UIAs remains poorly understood. To date, there is relative lack of clear guidelines for selection of patients with UIAs for treatment. Surveillance imaging for untreated UIAs is frequently performed, but frequency, duration, and modality of surveillance imaging need clearer guidelines. The authors review the current evidence on prevalence, natural history, role of treatment, and surveillance and screening imaging and highlight the areas for further research.

Keywords: CTA; MRA; Neuroimaging; Screening; Surveillance imaging; Unruptured aneurysms.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Intracranial Aneurysm* / diagnostic imaging
Intracranial Aneurysm* / therapy
Prevalence