Three-dimensional fusion imaging to assess apposition of low-profile visualized intraluminal support stent for intracranial aneurysm coiling

TL;DR

This study shows that 3D fusion imaging can clearly visualize stent placement in brain aneurysms and detect malapposition with high reliability.

Contribution

The novel use of 3D fusion imaging to assess stent apposition in intracranial aneurysms is demonstrated with high inter-rater reliability.

Findings

3D fusion imaging successfully visualized LVIS stent structures in all 40 patients.

Edge malapposition was observed in 47.5% of patients, while crescent sign was observed in 27.5%.

Inter-rater agreement was almost perfect for crescent signs and substantial for edge appositions.

Abstract

To investigate on three-dimensional (3D) fusion images the apposition of low-profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS) stents in intracranial aneurysms after treatment and assess inter-rater reliability.

Records of all patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms who were treated with the LVIS stent were retrospectively accessed and included in this study. Two neurosurgeons evaluated the presence of malapposition between the vessel walls and the stent trunk (crescent sign) and the vessel wall and the stent edges (edge malappostion) on 3D fusion images. These images were high-resolution cone-beam computed tomography images of the LVIS stent fused with 3D-digital subtraction angiography images of the vessels. Associations between malapposition and aneurysm location were assessed by Fisher's exact test, and inter-rater agreement was estimated using Cohen's kappa statistic.

Forty consecutive patients were included. In all patients, 3D fusion imaging successfully visualized the tantalum helical strands and the closed-cell structure of the nitinol material of the low-profile visualized intraluminal support. A crescent sign was observed in 27.5 % and edge malapposition in 47.5 % of the patients. Malapposition was not significantly associated with location (p = 0.23 crescent sign, p = 0.07 edge malapposition). Almost perfect (κ = 0.88) and substantial (κ = 0.76) agreements between the two raters were found for the detection of crescent signs and edge appositions, respectively.

3D fusion imaging provided clear visualization of the LVIS stent and parent arteries, and could detect malapposition with excellent inter-rater reliability. This technique may provide valuable guidance for surgeons in determining postoperative management.

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