BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: BBA is a rare type of intracranial aneurysm that is difficult to treat both surgically and endovascularly and is often associated with a high degree of morbidity/mortality. The aim of this study was to present clinical and angiographic results, as well as antiplatelet/anticoagulation regimens, of endovascular BBA treatment by using predominantly stent-assisted coil embolization.

Our purpose was to evaluate treatment safety as well as complications frequency and management in endovascular coiling of intracerebral aneurysms using MR diffusion and perfusion imaging. In this prospective study, 77 MR examinations were performed in conjunction with 43 procedures in 40 patients, 14 patients presented with ruptured and 26 with unruptured aneurysms. Mean time interval between treatment and post-procedure MRI was 29 and 25 h for the ruptured and unruptured aneurysm group, respectively. Peri-procedural complications, including five major events and five minor transient events, occurred in 10/43 procedures (23%), necessitating thrombolytic therapy in two patients and angioplasty in one, all three within the unruptured aneurysm group. Fifty-one new lesions were found on post-treatment DWI and 47 of them were regarded as of ischemic origin. Most lesions were small (<3 mm), ipsilateral to the treated aneurysm and asymptomatic (37/40 patients). Sixty-seven percent of the lesions were found in the ruptured and 33% in the unruptured aneurysm group. The ischemic lesions did occur more frequently in patients treated for aneurysm of large neck size and according to the remodelling technique. The overall morbidity and mortality rates were 14.6 and 7.3% whereas morbidity and mortality rates related to the technique were only 2.6 and 0%, respectively. Silent embolism seems to be more common than clinically evident and partially related to patient presentation, heparinazation and treatment strategy. The capability to depict early complications and analyse their potential causes by using MR with DWI has been of great importance in our modification and improvement of therapeutic protocols, evaluations and strategies.

We have reviewed initial diagnostic features, treatment, and outcome in 29 patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage due to non-traumatic vertebrobasilar artery dissection diagnosed in our hospital between 1993 and 2003. The dissections occurred in the vertebral artery in 19 patients, the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) in two patients, the basilar artery in four patients, and in the vertebral artery extending into the PICA in four patients. A pseudoaneurysm was found in 20 patients. Clinical manifestations typically included sudden onset of moderate to severe headache, nuchal rigidity, and drowsiness. Fourteen patients were treated conservatively. Fifteen patients underwent endovascular treatment with either parent artery occlusion (13 patients) or aneurysmal coil occlusion with preservation of the parent artery (2 patients). Re-bleeding occurred within 12 days and before treatment in nine patients. Eight of these had a pseudoaneurysm. No patient bled after endovascular treatment. Poor grade and early re-bleeding were associated with less favorable outcome. Outcome at 6 months did not differ significantly between endovascular and conservative treatment. Altogether, good recovery was achieved for 16 patients, moderate disability was seen in one, severe disability in four, and eight patients (27%) died. The absence of bleeding subsequent to endovascular treatment in this study suggests that endovascular treatment may be a rational approach in these patients at high risk of re-bleeding, especially those with a pseudoaneurysm.

3T MRA, using a sensitivity encoding head-coil, showed better agreement with DSA than 1.5T and CE-MRA at 3T for evaluation of aneurysms treated with endovascular coiling.

The uses of highly concentrated contrast media and low tube voltage are easily performed measures to improve image quality in CTA of intracranial vessel.