CT Angiography of Intracranial Aneurysms: A Focus on Postprocessing1
Computed tomographic (CT) angiography is a well-known tool for detection of intracranial aneurysms and the planning of therapeutic intervention. Despite a wealth of existing studies and an increase in image quality due to use of multisection CT and increasingly sophisticated postprocessing tools suc...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Radiographics 2004-05, Vol.24 (3), p.637 |
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Format: | Artikel |
Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | Computed tomographic (CT) angiography is a well-known tool for detection of intracranial aneurysms and the planning of therapeutic
intervention. Despite a wealth of existing studies and an increase in image quality due to use of multisection CT and increasingly
sophisticated postprocessing tools such as direct volume rendering, CT angiography has still not replaced digital subtraction
angiography as the standard of reference for detection of intracranial aneurysms. One reason may be that CT angiography is
still not a uniformly standardized method, particularly with regard to image postprocessing. Several methods for two- and
three-dimensional visualization can be used: multiplanar reformation, maximum intensity projection, shaded surface display,
and direct volume rendering. Pitfalls of CT angiography include lack of visibility of small arteries, difficulty differentiating
the infundibular dilatation at the origin of an artery from an aneurysm, the kissing vessel artifact, demonstration of venous
structures that can simulate aneurysms, inability to identify thrombosis and calcification on three-dimensional images, and
beam hardening artifacts produced by aneurysm clips. Finally, an algorithm for the safe and useful application of CT angiography
in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage has been developed, which takes into account the varying quality of equipment and
software at different imaging centers.
© RSNA, 2004 |
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ISSN: | 0271-5333 1527-1323 |
DOI: | 10.1148/rg.243035126 |