Prospective comparison of late 3T MRI with conventional angiography in evaluating the patency of cerebral arteriovenous malformations treated with stereotactic radiosurgery

Introduction

Risk of further haemorrhage in patients suffering from arteriovenous malformation (AVM) would be eliminated only if complete obliteration of the AVM is obtained. Therefore, these patients frequently need long-term follow-up. Conventional catheter angiography (CCA) with a risk of 0.5 %.to 1.6 % of significant neurological complications has traditionally been used for this purpose. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T may be a safer alternative. The aim of this study was to evaluate if MRI at 3T can accurately evaluate closure of AVM in 2 years after stereotactic radiosurgery.

Methods

Twenty-three patients with both MRI at 3T and a CCA study were examined. The residual AVMs were evaluated by MRI at 3T against CCA in a prospective study.

Results

The time interval between radiosurgery and neuroimaging was on average of 25 months (range, 15–30 months) for MRI study and 33 months (range, 25–46 months) for CCA study. Ten patients showed closure of the AVM on MRI, all of which were confirmed on CCA.

Conclusion

There was a complete agreement between late MRI at 3T scan and CCA in evaluation of AVM patency.