Simulated effects of perianeurysmal bone on a cerebral aneurysm: A case study.

AIM: Perianeurysmal structures can affect the hemodynamics and geometric evolution of intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to use computational models to explore the influence of contact with perianeurysmal bone on an intracranial aneurysm.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cerebral middle aneurysm in contact with an anterior clinoid process was selected. Two anatomic models were constructed from computed tomography angiography images: a non-contact model with elasticity of the entire aneurysm wall and a contact model with rigidity of the part of the aneurysm wall contacting bone. The blood flow pattern and wall stress and displacement were compared between the two models.

RESULTS: The contact and non-contact models exhibited similar wall shear stress and pressure but different degrees of von Mises stress and wall displacement. Displacement close to the bone contact part of the aneurysm wall was less in the contact model than in the non-contact model, whereas displacement of the part opposite to the contact part was larger in the contact model than in the non-contact model. Also, von Mises stress close to the contact part was larger in the contact model than in the non-contact model.

CONCLUSION: Contacting perianeurysmal bone affects the deformation and degree of von Mises stress but not the hemodynamics of intracranial aneurysms.