Dual-energy CT angiography for the diagnosis of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical utility of dual-source dual-energy CT angiography (DSDECTA) for diagnosing intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF).

METHODS

Nine intracranial DAVF patients were examined using Siemens DSDECTA and cerebral digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Imaging data were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the concordance between the imaging modalities.

RESULTS

DSDECTA examination showed that the blood-supplying arteries were thickened and the draining veins and dural sinuses were expanded in all 9 patients. The presence and characteristics of intracranial DAVF were confirmed using DSA. Head CT showed subarachnoid hemorrhage in 4 cases and intracerebral hematoma in 3 cases.

CONCLUSION

Although DSA is the gold standard for DAVF diagnosis, DSDECTA is less invasive and more suitable for revealing the three-dimensional structure of secondary intracranial lesions as well as other DAVF characteristics. Thus, DSDECTA may be a new alternative for noninvasive screening of suspected DAVF patients before interventional embolization and surgical resection.