Evaluation of cerebral arteriovenous malformations using image fusion combining three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography with magnetic resonance imaging.

AIM An image fusion of 3-dimensional (D) digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and magnetic resonance (MR) images, DSA-MR fusion, can simultaneously visualize both information of the vasculature provided by 3D DSA and of the soft tissues provided by MR images. The authors assessed the usefulness of DSA-MR fusion images concerning the pretreatment evaluation for cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM). MATERIAL AND METHODS Seven consecutive patients underwent pretreatment DSA-MR fusion and then microsurgical, endovascular and/ or radiosurgical treatments. RESULTS DSA-MR fusion images clearly showed the spatial relationship among AVM, its feeding artery, draining vein, surrounding artery feeding the normal brain tissue, hematoma and brain tissues (gyri or brain surface) with reasonable post-processing time. CONCLUSION These findings were useful for treatment planning for AVM, especially to enable neurosurgeons to easily understand the surgical anatomy preoperatively.