De novo aneurysm after treatment of glioblastoma

Characteristics of Radiation-Related Intracranial Aneurysms: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Intracranial aneurysms, a rare complication of radiation therapy, have been reported mainly in case reports or case series. We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study to investigate the characteristics of radiation-induced intracranial aneurysms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data on 2641 patients with intracranial aneurysms were retrospectively collected from 3 hospitals between January 2005 and June 2014. An additional 1519 patients were recruited from a single center between July 2014 and March 2020. Aneurysms in patients with a history of radiation therapy for at least 6 months were defined as radiation-related aneurysms. Patients' demographic profiles, clinical characteristics, and aneurysm parameters detected on CTA were compared between radiation-related and control groups.

RESULTS

Of the 4160 patients, the average age was 57.9 (SD, 13.5) years, 2406 (57.8%) were women, 477 (11.5%) had multiple aneurysms, 3009 (72.3%) had SAH, and 34 (0.8%) had radiation-related aneurysms. The male-to-female ratio in the radiation-related group was significantly higher than that in the control group (2.4:1 versus 0.72:1, P = .001). The mean age of the radiation-related group was significantly younger than in the control group (51.4 [SD, 15.0] years versus 58.2 [SD, 13.5] years, P = .003). More patients in the radiation-related group presented with SAH than in the control group (without age and sex matching, 88.2% versus 72.2%, P = .037; with age and sex matching, 88.2% versus 58.8%, P = .006). Of the 4813 intracranial aneurysms, only 43 (0.9%) aneurysms were categorized as in the radiation-related group, whereas 4770 (99.1%) aneurysms constituted the control group. Compared with the control group, there was a significantly higher proportion of sidewall aneurysms (46.5% versus 32.3%, P = .048) and a predilection for aneurysms involving the ICA and posterior circulation arteries (72.1% versus 52.2%, P = .046) in the radiation-related group.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the control group, radiation-related aneurysms are more prone to occur in men and young patients, with a higher percentage of sidewall aneurysms located in the ICA and posterior circulation arteries. Furthermore, SAH is highly prevalent in patients with radiation-induced aneurysms, indicating that dedicated screening for aneurysms after radiation therapy is necessary, but further studies are needed to determine when and how to screen.

Delayed cerebral pseudoaneurysm following surgical and combined-modality therapy for glioblastoma multiforme: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Post–radiation therapy and chemotherapy cerebral pseudoaneurysms are rare entities. Within previous tumor treatment areas on nonvascular imaging, they are potentially confused as recurrent tumor.

OBSERVATIONS

A 61-year-old man was a long-term survivor of glioblastoma multiforme whose treatment consisted of open biopsy followed by radiotherapy to 60 Gy and systemic carmustine. On surveillance imaging, enlargement of a posttreatment cyst and new enhancing lateral “mural nodule” was first noticed approximately 16 years after initial treatment. Over 12 months, both continued to enlarge. Initially referred to as recurrence, subsequent angiography showed the mural nodule to be an unruptured distal middle cerebral artery pseudoaneurysm within the previous tumor bed. The patient underwent repeat craniotomy for clipping of the aneurysm and biopsy of the cyst wall, which was negative for malignancy.

LESSONS

Delayed pseudoaneurysms following radiation therapy and chemotherapy for malignant brain tumors are rare but have been previously reported. Their appearance on cross-sectional imaging can mimic recurrence, and they should be kept in the differential of new, circumscribed enhancement within such treatment areas.

The prognosis and treatment effectiveness of de novo aneurysm formation after radiation therapy for brain tumor

Radiation therapy is a well-established, minimally invasive method of treating brain tumors. In recent years, the number of post-radiotherapy patients has increased, and delayed side effects are evident. De novo aneurysm formation after radiation often manifests as fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), resulting in severe clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, the prognosis and therapeutic efficacy of radiation-induced aneurysms (RIAs) remain unclear. Using the PubMed database from 1980 to 2021, we screened 45 articles (53 individual cases) on RIAs; approximately 70% of RIAs were diagnosed after rupture. Of 38 ruptured RIAs, 12 (31.6%) had modified Rankin scale (mRS) 5-6. On the other hand, all unruptured RIAs (15 cases) recovered without neurological deficits (p = 0.012). Ten of the 39 ruptured RIAs were treated surgically, and 22 were treated endovascularly. There was no significant difference in mRS between treatment modalities (p = 0.393), but conservative therapy was significantly related to unfavorable outcomes (p = 0.025). To improve clinical outcomes, RIAs need to be diagnosed before rupture. Surgeons should be aware of de novo aneurysm formation in patients long after radiation therapy.

Formation of intracranial de novo aneurysms and recurrence after neck clipping: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Incidence rates of de novo aneurysm formation and recurrence after clip ligation remain controversial. In this meta-analysis, the authors provide data on pooled annual incidence rates and the association of patient characteristics with time to formation of de novo aneurysms and time to recurrence after clipping.

METHODS

A search of the literature up to June 15, 2016, on PubMed and a systematic review were performed. The association of age, aneurysm rupture status, aneurysm multiplicity, and anatomical location with time to recurrence or formation of de novo aneurysm was estimated using multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models. Kaplan-Meier estimates (event-free survival curves) are shown. Pooled annualized incidence rates of recurrent and de novo aneurysms were estimated using Poisson regression. Proportions of aneurysms and average follow-up times are displayed as bubble plots with LOESS smoothers weighted for study size.

RESULTS

Of the 7606 articles screened, 92 were included in the study. Case reports on 101 patients with recurrent aneurysms and 132 patients with de novo aneurysms were analyzed. Long-term follow-up studies on de novo aneurysm formation included 13,723 patients with 101,378 patient-years of follow-up; studies on aneurysm recurrence included 5922 patients with 31,055 patient-years of follow-up. Mean time to recurrence was 12.9 ± 6.6 years (mean ± standard deviation), and mean time to de novo formation was 9.3 ± 6.1 years. No association with sex, aneurysm location, and initial rupture could be shown. De novo aneurysms occurred later in patients with multiplicity of aneurysms at diagnosis (HR 0.63, p = 0.03) and in patients with increasing age (HR per 10 yrs 0.88, p = 0.06). Pooled annualized incidence rates were 0.35% for de novo aneurysms and 0.13% for recurrent aneurysms.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite low reported annual incidence rates, the cumulative risk of 9.6%-22% for aneurysm recurrence or de novo formation 20 years after clip ligation warrants lifelong follow-up. Screening at 5, 10, and 20 years would detect 30.8% (95% CI 23.3%-37.6%), 64.2% (95% CI 55.9%-70.9%), and 95.9% (95% CI 90.9%-97.9%) of de novo aneurysms. Screening for recurrent aneurysms at 10, 15, and 20 years would detect 36.6% (95% CI 26.5%-45.4%), 65.3% (95% CI 54.7%-73.5%), and 95.1% (95% CI 85.8%-96.6%) of lesions.

Radiation-Induced Brain Aneurysms: Institutional Experience and State of the Art in the Contemporary Literature

BACKGROUND

Brain aneurysms (BAs) are the most common intracranial vascular condition, with an overall incidence of 1%-2%. Among the common causes of their initial formation and growth, the role of radiation therapy (RT) has been reported in some studies. The aim of the present study is to report the most relevant features of BA related to a previous cranial RT.

METHODS

Data deriving from 1 patient treated for RT-induced BA in our institution were added to reports of another 66 BAs retrieved from the literature. The following parameters were evaluated: age, sex, location, primary lesion, clinical presentation, dosage/amount of radiation delivered, type of treatment for the BA, dimension, morphology, chemotherapy, comorbidities, risk factors, and number of BAs.

RESULTS

The most commonly involved vessel was the internal carotid artery (34%). In general, the anterior circulation showed higher vulnerability compared with the posterior circulation and middle cerebral artery (56.7%). The average latency between RT and the first imaging showing the BA was 9.01 ± 6.85 years. Vessels coursing in the posterior cranial fossa showed a significant univariate association with lower X-ray dosages (P = 0.014) compared with the other locations. No statistically significant correlation between the continuous variables age, latency of BA appearance, RT delivered dose, and dimension of the BA was shown.

CONCLUSIONS

The apparent higher fragility of the vascular structures of the posterior cranial fossa was statistically outlined, and the X-ray dosage, the primary condition target of the RT, the age of the patients, and no statistically significant correlation were outlined. Biological factors could play a significant role.

An Integrative Survival Analysis with Identification of Prognostic Factors in the Patients with Coexisting Glioma and Intracranial Aneurysm

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to perform an integrative clinical and survival analysis for patients with coexisting glioma and intracranial aneurysm and to assess the influence of prognostic factors on overall survival (OS).

METHODS

A systematic literature search on PubMed and Web of Science was performed for literature in English published from 1951 to August 2017. Detailed information including clinical characteristics, treatments, critical events, and time to events for survival analysis was extracted from the included articles. Clinical characteristics of included patients were reviewed, and survival analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors of OS.

RESULTS

A total of 56 cases from 38 articles published in English-language journals were included in this study, and relative details were selected for integrative analysis. Univariate analysis demonstrated that age (<47/≥47 years), ruptured aneurysm (yes/no), glioma type (glioblastoma multiforme [GBM]/no GBM), World Health Organization (WHO) grade (low/high), and radiotherapy (yes/no) had a statistically significant correlation with OS (log-rank P = 0.004, P = 0.037, P = 0.004, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). Further, multivariate analysis revealed that WHO grade (hazard ratio [HR], 22.383; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.795-279.151; P = 0.016) and receiving radiotherapy (HR, 0.054; 95% CI, 0.009-0.333; P = 0.002) were the independent prognostic factors for OS.

CONCLUSIONS

This integrative survival analysis revealed that WHO grade and receiving radiotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS, and patients with low-grade glioma and receiving radiotherapy had longer survival than counter groups. Nevertheless, similar clinical studies which should be larger samples, multicenter, and collaborative are needed further.

Radiotherapy-related intracranial aneurysm: case presentation of a 17-year male and a meta-analysis based on individual patient data

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, clinical profiles, latency, and outcomes of radiotherapy (RT)-related intracranial aneurysms, rare but often fatal complications of cranial irradiation.

METHODS

We reviewed all published individual patient data regardless of language, using survival analysis to make statistical inferences.

RESULTS

We examined a total of 58 patients with RT-related intracranial aneurysms, including one unpublished case presented here, of whom 74.1 % presented with rupture. In the study, 29.3 % were younger than 18 years. The mean age at which patients received the first course of RT was 34.8 ± 22.8 years old. The mean latency between initiating RT and presenting with aneurysm was 10.4 ± 8.5 years. Rapid death ensured in 24 % shortly after presentation. The only significant predictor of death was rupture. In those with a single aneurysm, 43.1 % were located at the internal carotid artery, while 15.5 % of patients had multiple aneurysms. A male-to-female ratio of 1.87, 0.5, and 1.32 was found in patients younger than age 52, 52 years of age or older, and all 58 patients, respectively. Older age when receiving RT and presentation with ruptured aneurysm were significantly associated with shorter latency.

CONCLUSIONS

RT-related intracranial aneurysms presented differently from classical ones based on age, sex, site, multiplicity, and type. Sex ratios differed with age. The younger age group showed a longer latency of occurrence of an aneurysm. Older patients and those who develop ruptured aneurysms presented earlier. Since rupture may affect outcome, early detection of aneurysms before rupture may save lives.

Glioblastoma Mimicking Meningioma: Report of 2 Cases

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma can mimic various pathologies, including arteriovenous malformation, hemorrhage from ischemic stroke, cerebral contusion, metastatic disease, lymphoma, and infection. The literature is limited regarding diagnostic confusion with meningioma. Herein, we present 2 patients that exhibited imaging, including cerebral angiography during preoperative embolization, which was consistent with meningioma, but where final surgical diagnosis revealed glioblastoma.

CASE DESCRIPTION

Case 1 was a 57-year-old woman presenting with headache, ataxia, and memory lapses for the past month. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a heterogeneous-enhancing right temporoparietal mass with broad contact along the right tentorium, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cleft sign, and dural tail sign-consistent with meningioma. Patient underwent angiography with successful polyvinyl alcohol foam (PVA) particle embolization of the petrosquamosal branch of the right middle meningeal artery (MMA) and meningeal branch of the right occipital artery, resulting in significant devascularization of the tumor blush. Subsequently, the patient underwent tumor resection, where pathology revealed glioblastoma. Case 2 was a 60-year-old man presenting with right hemiparesis. Brain MRI demonstrated a left parasagittal, heterogeneous-enhancing mass abutting the falx with a dural tail sign-consistent with meningioma. Patient underwent angiography with successful PVA particle embolization of the left MMA, resulting in significant devascularization of the tumor blush. Patient underwent a tumor resection where pathology revealed glioblastoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Glioblastoma can mimic meningioma on MRI with dural tail sign, CSF cleft sign, and broad dural contact. Moreover, cerebral angiography can reveal tumor feeders commonly associated with meningioma. These features can contribute to diagnostic confusion. Based on these 2 cases, preoperative embolization of tumor feeders is possible with glioblastoma.

Feasibility of simultaneous sodium fluorescein and indocyanine green injection in neurosurgical procedures

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of simultaneous Sodium Fluorescein (SF) and Indocyanine Green (ICG) injection during neurosurgical procedures.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Three patients harboring a high-grade glioma (HGG) were retrospectively identified in the surgical database of the Neurosurgical Unit 2 at the Foundation IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta in Milan, by having received intraoperatively both SF for tumor resection and ICG for vasculature angiographic studies in the same surgical procedure. We identified 2 males and 1 female (age range 25-60). Lesions were located in the left temporo-polar area and hippocampus (1 case), right superior frontal gyrus (1 case), left supplementary motor area (1 case). All the three lesions showed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) characteristics of HGG and, for this reason, in all patients a fluorescein-guided tumor removal was proposed. In the same surgical procedure ICG videoangiography was considered necessary in order to study arterial and venous vasculature, given by the strict relation of the tumor with an unexpected Posterior Communicating Artery (PComA) aneurysm in one case and with cortical drainage veins complexes in the other two cases. In all cases a microscope equipped with both YELLOW560 and IR800 integrated filters (Pentero 900, Carl Zeiss, Oberkorchen, Germany) was used. Fluorescein was i.v. injected at a dose of 5mg/kg immediately after patient intubation. ICG was i.v. injected in bolus on demand of the operating surgeon at a dose of 12.5mg.

RESULTS

No side-effects related to simultaneous injection of SF and ICG were identified. In all three cases, the use of SF allowed to better visualize the tumor areas during surgical removal, thus leading to a radical resection until no macroscopic appearance of residual tumor mass and no fluorescence was visible in the surgical cavity. ICG videoangiography confirmed the patency of branches of internal carotid artery after clipping of an unexpected small PComA aneurysm found intraoperatively during tumor removal in one case, while in patient 2 and 3 it allowed to evaluate patency and study flow pattern in cortical drainage veins that were intimately related to the tumors and the way of the surgical approach. Postoperative MRI showed a Gross Total Resection of the tumors in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed for the first time the feasibility of intravenous SF injection and ICG videoangiography in the same surgical procedure. The presence of different fluorescence filters on the same surgical microscope allows the surgeon to recognize and safely resect the tumor and simultaneously evaluate local brain vascularization.

Coincidence of an anterior cerebral artery aneurysm and a glioblastoma: case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

The association between glioblastoma and intracranial aneurysm is rare. Treatment guidelines do not exist, and operative mortality and morbidity are significantly high. To our knowledge, no prior cases have employed endovascular therapy for the treatment of these intra-tumor intracranial aneurysms followed by tumor resection.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 74-year-old male, history of a left A2 aneurysm, presented after a motor vehicle accident at low speeds. Imaging was concerning for a possible traumatic brain contusion, an aneurysmal hemorrhage given history of left A2 aneurysm, or a hemorrhage from an underlying tumor given profound edema. The patient was discussed at the brain tumor board, where the plan was to address the aneurysm followed by resection of the mass versus close monitoring with subsequent imaging. The high risk of rehemorrhage, given the real possibility of an aneurysmal hemorrhage, motivated prompt treatment of the aneurysm. The patient was taken to the angiography suite; an anterosuperiorly projecting azygous A2 aneurysm, measuring 4.5 mm × 5.5 mm with a neck width at 3.5 mm and a small daughter sac, was completely obliterated with primary coiling. The following day, he underwent a left craniotomy along a forehead skin crease for mass excision. Final pathology revealed glioblastoma. The patient recovered well from both procedures, with a baseline neurological exam. The patient subsequently underwent hypofractionated radiation and temodar.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, no prior cases have employed endovascular therapy for the treatment of these intracranial aneurysms. We emphasize that efforts to introduce less invasive elements may improve the overall outcomes in this rare patient population.

Glioblastoma and intracranial aneurysms: Case report and review of literature

Background:

There is a paucity of data on the association of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) with intracranial aneurysms. It is an important clinical entity for physicians to be aware of and its presence illustrates several critical features of the pathophysiology of malignant glioma. In this article we present a case of a middle cerebral artery (MCA) pseudoaneurysm that occurred in a patient with recurrent GBM as well discuss the current literature relating to this unique combination of pathologies.

Case Description:

The authors present a case of a MCA pseudoaneurysm that developed in a patient with recurrent GBM and discuss the current literature. The authors identified 19 reports describing 23 patients harboring both GBM and an intracranial aneurysm.

Conclusion:

Several theories stand to explain the coincidental occurrence of intracranial aneurysms and GBM. The treating physician should be aware of this association when patients with intraaxial tumors present with unusual manifestation such as an intratumoral hemorrhage or angiogram negative subarachnoid hemorrhage. No guidelines exist to assist in the management of such patients; therefore, authors have attempted to address this issue using a classification and treatment algorithm.