Follow-up assessment of coiled intracranial aneurysms using zTE MRA as compared with TOF MRA: a preliminary image quality study

To prospectively assess coiled intracranial aneurysms using a novel non-contrast enhanced zero echo time (zTE) MR angiography (MRA) method, and compare its image quality with time-of-flight (TOF) MRA, using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as reference. Twenty-five patients (10 males and 15 females; age 53.96 +/- 12.46 years) were enrolled in this monocentric study. MRA sequences were performed 24 h before DSA. Susceptibility artefact intensity and flow signal within the parent artery were carried out using a 4-point scale. Occlusion status was assessed using the 3-grade Montreal scale. Scores of zTE were higher than TOF for both susceptibility artefact intensity (3.42 +/- 0.64, 2.92 +/- 0.63, P = 0.01) and flow signal (3.66 +/- 0.95, 3.24 +/- 1.24, P = 0.01). DSA revealed 17 complete occlusions, five residual neck aneurysms and two residual aneurysms. Inter-observer agreement was excellent (weighted kappa: 0.89) for zTE and good (weighted kappa: 0.68) for TOF. Intermodality agreement was excellent for zTE (weighted kappa: 0.95) and good for TOF (weighted kappa: 0.80). Correlations of both MRA sequences with DSA were high (zTE, Spearman's rho: 0.91; TOF, Spearman's rho: 0.81). zTE MRA showed promising results for follow-up assessment of coiled intracranial aneurysms and was superior to TOF MRA for visualizing the parent artery and evaluating occlusion status. aEuro cent Various MRA sequences were applied for follow-up assessment of coiled intracranial aneurysms. aEuro cent zTE MRA was less sensitive to susceptibility artefacts and haemodynamics. aEuro cent In this monocentric study, zTE MRA was equivalent to DSA. aEuro cent zTE MRA maybe an alternative to TOF MRA for follow-up assessment.