Abstract
OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE
Precise preoperative evaluation is especially important when internal carotid artery aneurysms in the paraclinoid region are clipped, because these vascular structures are located in close proximity to various important structures such as the optic nerve and anterior clinoid process. We report a new method for “simultaneously” describing the interrelationships among the aneurysm, internal carotid artery, optic nerve, and bony structures with three-dimensional contrast medium-enhanced computed tomographic (3-D CMECT) cisternography.
METHODS
Informed consent was obtained from the patient. An 8-ml injection of iotrolan (Isovist; Schering, Berlin, Germany) (240 mg I/ml) was administered into the lumbar intrathecal space. A computed tomographic scan of the head was obtained 2 hours later with a multislice Asteion computed tomographic scanner (Toshiba, Inc., Tokyo, Japan). An Alatoview workstation (Silicon Graphics, Mountain View, CA) was used to reconstruct the three-dimensional images.
RESULTS
These images, as generated by 3-D CMECT cisternography, were found to accurately demonstrate the interrelationships of the internal carotid artery, aneurysm, and surrounding structures preoperatively. The findings obtained from these images proved to be quite similar to the intraoperative findings. 3-D CMECT cisternography clarified whether the paraclinoid aneurysm was intradural or extradural.
CONCLUSION
3-D CMECT cisternography was found to provide a useful means for preoperative evaluation of lesions in the paraclinoid area.
Endovascular plug for internal carotid artery occlusion in the management of a cavernous pseudoaneurysm with bifrontal subdural empyema: technical note
