Table of Contents
Perspectives
Level 1 EBM Expedited Publication
- Hydrogel versus Bare Platinum Coils in Patients with Large or Recurrent Aneurysms Prone to Recurrence after Endovascular Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This Level 1 expedited report was a pragmatic, multicenter, parallel, randomized (1:1) trial evaluating patients who were at high risk of aneurysm recurrence after endovascular treatment, including patients with large aneurysms (Patients Prone to Recurrence After Endovascular Treatment PRET-1) or with aneurysms that had previously recurred after coiling (PRET-2). The trial was stopped once 250 patients in PRET-1 and 197 in PRET-2 had been recruited because of slow accrual. A poor primary outcome occurred in 44.4% of those in PRET-1 allocated to platinum compared with 52.5% of patients allocated to hydrogel and in 49.0% in PRET-2 allocated to platinum compared with 42.1% allocated to hydrogel. Adverse events and morbidity were similar. The authors conclude that coiling of large and recurrent aneurysms is safe but often poorly effective according to angiographic results. Hydrogel coiling was not shown to be better than platinum.
Patient Safety
Genetics Vignette
General Contents
- Transverse Sinus Stenosis Is the Most Sensitive MR Imaging Correlate of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
MR imaging and MRV images from 63 patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and 96 controls were reviewed by using 3 independent procedures. MRV images were graded for the presence and degree of stenosis of the transverse sinus. Postgadolinium coronal T1-weighted sequences were evaluated independent of MRV. The dimensions of the proximal and distal transverse sinus were measured. Transverse sinus stenosis was identified bilaterally on MRV in 94% of patients with IIH and in 3% of controls. On coronal T1 postgadolinium MR images, transverse sinus stenosis was identified in 83% of patients with IIH and 7% of controls. The authors conclude that transverse sinus stenosis is the most useful and sensitive imaging indicator of this disease state.
- Effects of MRI Protocol Parameters, Preload Injection Dose, Fractionation Strategies, and Leakage Correction Algorithms on the Fidelity of Dynamic-Susceptibility Contrast MRI Estimates of Relative Cerebral Blood Volume in Gliomas
The authors used DSC-MR imaging simulations to examine the influence of various acquisition parameters and leakage-correction strategies on the faithful estimation of CBV. Optimal strategies were determined by protocol with the lowest mean error. They conclude that the choice of image acquisition and preload dosing and/or fractionation has tremendous impact on the fidelity of CBV estimation. A variety of acquisition strategies can be used to obtain similar accuracy of CBV estimation, while the bidirectional leakage-correction algorithm aids in minimizing errors in CBV estimation under all scenarios.
- MR Fingerprinting of Adult Brain Tumors: Initial Experience
MR fingerprinting is a technique in which pseudorandomized acquisition parameters are used to simultaneously quantify multiple tissue properties, including T1 and T2 relaxation times. The authors evaluated the ability of MR fingerprinting–derived T1 and T2 relaxometry to differentiate the 3 common types of intra-axial brain tumors (17 glioblastomas, 6 lower grade gliomas, and 8 metastases). Using these parameters, they explored the T1 and T2 properties of peritumoral white matter in various tumor types. Mean T2 values could differentiate solid tumor regions of lowergrade gliomas from metastases and the mean T1 of peritumoral white matter surrounding lowergrade gliomas differed from peritumoral white matter around glioblastomas.
- Evaluation of Encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis Efficacy Using Probabilistic Independent Component Analysis Applied to Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast Perfusion MRI
In this prospective study, 13 patients underwent unilateral indirect cerebral revascularization and DSC-MR imaging before and after surgery. Conventional perfusion parameters (relative CBV, relative CBF, and TTP) and probabilistic independent components that reflect the relative contributions of DSC signals consistent with arterial, capillary, and venous hemodynamics were calculated and examined for significant changes after surgery. Before surgery, tissue within the affected hemisphere demonstrated a high probability for hemodynamics consistent with venous flow and a low probability for hemodynamics consistent with arterial flow, whereas the contralateral control hemisphere demonstrated the reverse. Consistent with symptomatic improvement, the probability for venous hemodynamics within the affected hemisphere decreased with time after surgery. The authors conclude that probabilistic independent component analysis yielded sensitive measurements of changes in local tissue perfusion that may be associated with newly formed vasculature after indirect cerebral revascularization surgery
- Predictive Utility of Marketed Volumetric Software Tools in Subjects at Risk for Alzheimer Disease: Do Regions Outside the Hippocampus Matter?
The authors assessed the prognostic efficacy of individual-versus-combined regional volumetrics in 2 commercially available brain volumetric software packages for predicting conversion of patients with mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer disease. One hundred ninety-two subjects (mean age, 74.8 years) diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment at baseline were studied. On univariable analysis of 11 NeuroQuant and 11 Neuroreader regional volumes, hippocampal volume had the highest area under the curve for both software packages (0.69, NeuroQuant; 0.68, Neuroreader) and was not significantly different between packages. They conclude that of the multiple regional volume measures available in FDA-cleared brain volumetric software packages, hippocampal volume remains the best single predictor of conversion of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer disease at 3-year follow-up.
Commentary
