Rush University Medical Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
J Neurointerv Surg. 2012 Jul;4(4):291-4. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2011-010102. Epub 2011 Sep 20.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides high resolution imaging of tissue; this technology has been validated using intra-arterial catheters in the evaluation of arterial anatomy, pathology and treatments. The perforating cerebral arteries and intracranial stents have not been previously visualized with an OCT catheter.
Using a standard transfemoral endovascular technique, a LightLab C7 Dragonfly catheter was inserted in the middle and posterior cerebral arteries of a fresh frozen cadaver. OCT images of the cerebral vessels and a deployed Pipeline Embolization Device were acquired using the LightLab C7-XR OCT Intravascular Imaging System.
Distal cerebral artery access with the imaging catheter was feasible via the femoral artery using a distal access catheter instead of the standard monorail system used in coronary investigations. Imaging of perforators and stent struts had exceptional resolution.
The first use of a commercial OCT catheter in the evaluation of intracranial vessels using transfemoral endovascular techniques is described. Challenges of intracranial OCT include blood clearance and vessel tortuosity. This technology may aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cerebrovascular disease in the future.
光学相干断层扫描（OCT）可提供组织的高分辨率成像；这项技术已通过在动脉解剖、病理和治疗评估中使用动脉内导管得到验证。以前从未使用 OCT 导管对穿通性脑动脉和颅内支架进行可视化。
使用标准的经股血管内技术，将 LightLab C7 Dragonfly 导管插入新鲜冷冻尸体的大脑中动脉和大脑后动脉。使用 LightLab C7-XR OCT 血管内成像系统获取脑血管和已部署的 Pipeline 栓塞装置的 OCT 图像。
通过股动脉使用远端接入导管而不是冠状动脉研究中使用的标准单轨系统，可以实现对成像导管的远端大脑动脉的进入。对穿支动脉和支架支柱的成像具有出色的分辨率。
描述了首例使用商业 OCT 导管经股血管内技术评估颅内血管的情况。颅内 OCT 的挑战包括血液清除和血管迂曲。这项技术未来可能有助于脑血管疾病的诊断和治疗。
