Advanced technologies applied to physiopathological analysis of central nervous system aneurysms and vascular malformations

Abstract

While depiction and definition of morphological and architectural characteristics of CNS vascular disorders remains the first step of an MR analysis, emerging imaging techniques offer new functional information that might help to characterize rupture risk of CNS vascular disorders. Two main orientations are suggested by recent studies: inflammation of the vessel wall and analysis of physical constraints of blood flow using 4D flow imaging (shear parietal). This paper will focus on radiological application of 4D flow imaging and inflammation imaging, in the characterization of potential prognostic markers of CNS vascular disorders. We will review the basic technical considerations of 4D flow MRA, inflammation imaging and discuss their applications in CNS vascular disorders: aneurysms, arteriovenous malformation, dural arteriovenous fistulas. We will illustrate their potential in the development of individual rupture risk criteria in brain vascular disorders.

Keywords: 4D flow MRI; Advanced MR techniques; Brain vascular disorders; Inflammation imaging.