Evaluation of CT virtual intravascular endoscopy in the visualisation of aortic ostium in patients undergoing fenestrated stent grafts: a preliminary study

Abstract

Proceedings of the 21the International Congress and Exhibition, Berlin Germany, June 27-30, 2007We aim in this study to investigate the potential value of CT virtual intravascular endoscopy in patients diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysms undergoing fenestrated stent grafts. Both pre-and post-fenestration (within 3 months of implantation) multislice CT data were collected in 8 patients and used for generation of virtual endoscopy images in our preliminary study. Variable fenestrations were deployed in 25 aortic branches with scallop fenestration implanted in 6 aortic ostia, large fenestration in 4 aortic ostia and small fenestration in 15 renal ostia, respectively. Measurements of the aortic ostia diameters both pre-and post-fenestration were successfully performed with virtual intravascular endoscopy visualization, and endovascular stents as well as their relationship to the aortic ostia were clearly demonstrated. Our results showed that there was no significant change of diameter of the aortic ostia following fenestrated stent grafts. Endovascular stents were clearly visualized on virtual endoscopy images, and no apparent deformity or malrotation was observed in this small group. Our preliminary study provides new insights into anatomic configuration/dimension of aortic ostia and endovascular stents, and virtual intravascular endoscopy could be a valuable technique to follow-up patients treated with fenestrated stent grafts.