Radiation dose and fluoroscopy time of modern endovascular treatment techniques in patients with saccular unruptured intracranial aneurysms

Abstract

Objectives: Modern endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) demands for observance of diagnostic reference levels (DRLs). The national DRL (250 Gy cm2) is only defined for coiling. We provide dosimetric data for the following procedures: coiling, flow diverter (FD), Woven EndoBridge (WEB), combined techniques. Methods: A retrospective single-centre study of saccular UIAs treated between 2015 and 2019. Regarding dosimetric analysis, the parameters dose area product (DAP) and fluoroscopy time were investigated for the following variables: endovascular technique, aneurysm location, DSA protocol, aneurysm size, and patient age. Results: Eighty-seven patients (59 females, mean age 54 years) were included. Total mean and median DAP (Gy cm2) were 119 ± 73 (89–149) and 94 (73; 130) for coiling, 128 ± 53 (106–151) and 134 (80; 176) for FD, 128 ± 56 (102–153) and 118 (90; 176) for WEB, and 165 ± 102 (110–219) and 131 (98; 209) for combined techniques (p >.05). Regarding the aneurysm location, neither DAP nor fluoroscopy time was significantly different (p >.05). The lowest and highest fluoroscopy times were recorded for WEB and combined techniques, respectively (median 26 and 94 min; p