Intravascular virtual MR endoscopy evaluation of cerebral aneurysms

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of intravascular virtual MR endoscopy in the planning of correct surgical clipping of the aneurysm neck.

A total of 36 aneurysms were detected by using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in thirty patients. Intravascular virtual MR endoscopy is a realistic 3-dimensional simulation of intravascular structures that is generated by postprocessing of MRA maximum-intensity projection images. The images were evaluated by two neuroradiologists, in terms of image quality via qualitative analysis of MRA and intravascular virtual MR endoscopy of the orifice of the aneurysm neck, as well as the relationship of the main and bifurcating arteries with the orifice of the aneurysm. The readers were fully blinded. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the differences in mean scores for each reader between these two groups.

Based on the scoring system, evaluating image quality using qualitative analysis, both readers found the mean scores to be 3.82 ± 0.52 and 3.91 ± 0.72 for intravascular virtual MR endoscopy, and 2.97 ± 0.71 and 2.89 ± 0.83 for MRA, which was statistically different (p < 0.001).

Intravascular virtual MR endoscopy may provide useful knowledge in the proper the surgical clipping of the aneurysm neck.