Dose reduction in cone-beam CT scanning for intracranial stent deployment before coil embolization of intracranial wide-neck aneurysms.

PURPOSE: Flat panel detector (FD)-equipped angiography machines are increasingly used for neuro-angiographic imaging. During intracranial stent-assisted coil embolization procedures, it is very important to clearly and quickly visualize stent shape after deployment in the vessel. It is necessary to quickly visualize stents by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The aim of this study was to compare CBCTs at 10 and 20 s, and to confirm that this method is useful for neuro-endovascular treatment procedures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We treated 30 patients with wide-necked intracranial aneurysms with a flexible, self-expanding neurovascular stent and subsequent aneurysm embolization with platinum micro-coils. We performed the CBCT after stent deployment. We compared the 10 s and 20 s CBCTs, using the full width one-half maximum (FWHM) visualization.

RESULTS: Accurate stent placement with subsequent coil occlusion of the aneurysms was feasible in all patients. Stent struts were clearly visualized on both 10 s and 20 s CBCTs. Importantly, 10 s CBCT can reduce the radiation dose by about 42%, compared with 20 s CBCT. Performing 10 s CBCT with a 14% dilution of the contrast medium may significantly improve image acquisition during stent-assisted coil embolization.

CONCLUSIONS: Reduced-dose, 10 s CBCT can visualize stents in clinical cases, while significantly reducing radiation exposure.