Virtual coiling of intracranial aneurysms based on dynamic path planning

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Imaging
• Computational Modeling

Background:

• Coil embolization is a primary endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms.
• This procedure involves inserting metal coils to induce blood coagulation within the aneurysm.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel virtual coiling technique.
• To enable pre-interventional planning and post-operative assessment of aneurysm coil embolization.

Main Methods:

• A dynamic path planning algorithm was developed to simulate coil insertion.
• The technique models coil distribution within patient-specific 3D aneurysm geometries.
• Validation involved idealized shapes and 10 realistic aneurysm models.

Main Results:

• The virtual coiling technique successfully generated plausible coil distributions in patient-specific models.
• Results were compared with digital subtraction angiography images for two aneurysms, demonstrating reliability.
• The technique showed promise in mimicking the coil embolization procedure.

Conclusions:

• The virtual coiling technique offers a reliable method for pre-operative planning and post-operative assessment of intracranial aneurysm treatment.
• This computational approach can enhance the understanding and execution of endovascular procedures.
• Further validation against clinical data is warranted.