Diagnostic value of spiral CT angiography for intracranial aneurysm

【Objective】To evaluate the multi-slice spiral CT angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysm. 【Methods】34 patients with clinically suspected intracranial aneurysm were evaluated by 16 slice spiral CTA, 8 cases underwent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) simultaneously. The data were reconstructed by using volume rendering (VR), maximum intensity projection (MIP) and surface shadow display (SSD). The quality of the reconstructions was compared with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and surgical findings.【Results】Of the 34 patients, 36 aneurysms were detected by CTA. One patient had multiple (n = 2) and the others had solitary a- neurysm. The diameters of the aneurysms were from 2. 0 mm to 23 mm. Of the 8 patients having DSA, the DSA findings were the same as that of CTA in 7 patients; in one patient, the aneurysm was missed by CTA. The neck of aneurysm in 2 cases was not displayed by DSA but was in all cases by CTA. 【Conclusions】Multi-slice spiral CT angiography is an accurate, rapid and noninvasive method for detecting intracranial aneurysm, especially in the emergency situation, and has unique advantage in displaying the neck of aneurysm. Providing precistic diagnose and treament information.