Prediction of Distal Dural Ring Location in Internal Carotid Paraclinoid Aneurysms Using the Tuberculum...

Background/Objectives: Current bone-based landmark approaches have shown variable accuracy and poor reproducibility. We validated a two-point "tuberculum sellae-anterior clinoid process" (TS-ACP) line traced on routine 3D-computed tomography angiography (CTA) for predicting distal dural ring (DDR) position and quantified the interobserver agreement. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 85 patients (87 aneurysms) who were treated via clipping between June 2012 and December 2024. Two blinded neurosurgeons classified each aneurysm as extradural, intradural, or straddling the TS-ACP line. The intraoperative DDR inspection served as the reference standard. Diagnostic accuracy, χ² statistics, and Cohen's κ were calculated. Results: The TS-ACP line landmarks were identifiable in all cases. The TS-ACP line classification correlated strongly with operative findings (χ² = 138.3, p = 6.4 × 10^-29). The overall accuracy was 89.7% (78/87), and sensitivity and specificity for identifying intradural aneurysms were 94% and 82%, respectively. The interobserver agreement was substantial (κ = 0.78). Nine aneurysms were misclassified, including four cavernous-sinus lesions that partially crossed the DDR. Retrospective fusion using constructive interference in steady-state magnetic resonance imaging corrected these errors. Conclusions: The TS-ACP line represents a rapid, reproducible tool that reliably localizes the DDR on standard 3D-CTA, showing higher accuracy than previously reported single-landmark techniques. Its high accuracy and substantial inter-observer concordance support incorporation into routine preoperative assessments. Because the method depends on only two easily detectable bony points, it is well-suited for automated implementation, offering a practical pathway toward artificial intelligence-assisted stratification of paraclinoid aneurysms.