Comparison of values to diagnosis and treatment of intracranial aneurysm between CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography

Objective To evaluate the role of CT angiography(CTA)and digital subtraction angiography(DSA)in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial aneurysms.Methods Fifty-six patients with intracranial aneurysms were examined by CTA and DSA.Three-dimensional reconstruction of the CTA images was performed by maximum intensity projection and volume rendering with all the patients.The CTA data of intracranial aneurysms were analyzed and compared with DSA data and/or the status observed by the operation.CTA and DSA examinations were reperformed after the surgery for clipping the intracranial aneurysms in some patients.Results Sixty-eight aneurysms were founded with DSA in 56 patients before the surgery.The sensitivity and specificity of the intracranial aneurysms to CTA,which showed 63 aneurysms in 51 of 56 patients,were 91.07%and 1 00%respectively.The size,location,aneurysmal neck and the relationship between aneurysmal bodies and parent arteries were clearly showed by CTA.The clipped aneurysm could not be clearly showed by CTA.Conclusions DSA still is the gold standard of diagnosing intracranial aneurysm at the present.CTA which is a of great value to diagnosing and treating intracranial aneurysm may be used to screen out patient with suspectable intracranial aneurysm,and is not proper for the reexamination after the surgery and during the following up in the patients with clipped aneurysms.