Application of susceptibility-weighted imaging in intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula / 国际脑血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the application value of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in the diagnosis of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF).Methods:Patients with DAVF confirmed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in Weihai Municipal Hospital from January 2014 to January 2021 were retrospectively included. All patients underwent conventional T 1-weighted imaging (T 1WI), T 2-weighted imaging (T 2WI) and SWI, and some patients also underwent 3D time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (3D-TOF-MRA). Results:A total of 36 patients with DAVF were enrolled, 29 of them received 3D-TOF-MRA. The fistula location of 24 patients (24/36, 66.7%) underwent SWI and 26 patients (26/29, 89.7%) underwent 3D-TOF-MRA were correctly judged, and the difference was statistically significant (Fisher's Exact Test, P=0.039). SWI showed that the proportion of patients with thickened supply arteries (7/36, 19.4%) was significantly lower than that on 3D-TOF-MRA (14/29, 48.3%; χ2=6.105, P=0.013). T 2WI, 3D-TOF-MRA and SWI showed no cerebral venous abnormalities in all 7 patients with DAVF without cortical venous reflux; in 29 patients with DAVF with cortical venous reflux revealed by DSA, SWI and T 2WI showed all patients (100%) and 26 patients (89.7%) had superficial venous dilatation respectively, but there was no significant difference ( χ2=0.693, P=0.405). SWI showed medullary vein dilation in 17 patients (47.2%), and only 2 patients (5.6%) had medullary vein thickening on T 2WI, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.001). The proportion of patients with venous cerebral infarction on T 2WI was significantly higher than that on SWI (22.2% vs. 0%; Fisher’s Exact Test P=0.005), and the proportion of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage on SWI was significantly higher than that on T 2WI (61.1% vs. 25.0%; χ2=9.574, P=0.004). Conclusion:SWI is helpful to evaluate the abnormal drainage vein of DAVF and the secondary changes in brain, especially intracerebral hemorrhage.