[Preliminary evaluation of the performance of 3D morphometer and spiral scanner in carotid stenoses]

Carotid stenosis evaluation is now possible with 3D Imaging. We prospectively compared the diagnostic value of Spiral CT and 3D Morphometer with conventional intraarterial DSA considered as the gold standard. We studied 19 bifurcations in 10 patients. We evaluated the stenosis following the NASCET guidelines on the DSA, with common carotid injection, on the 3D databases of 3D morphometer and of spiral CT (using MIP display). There was a good correlation between the degree of stenosis calculated with the 3D morphometer and angiography even if severe stenoses were slightly overestimated with the former. For the spiral CT databases, accurate diameters were impossible to obtain in case of huge calcifications. There was no benefit of measuring the surfaces on reoriented axial views in comparison with native axial views and MIP images. With the 3D morphometer, post processing selective visualization of the carotid bifurcations is possible without selective injection. The 3D acquisition with 3D morphometer could be an additional acquisition of a standard DSA. It should replace selective injections and should reduce the side effects of angiography.