Interval angioarchitectural evolution of brain arteriovenous malformations following rupture

Objective: The goal of this study was to describe changes in the angioarchitecture of brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) between acute and delayed cerebral digital subtraction angiography (DSA) obtained after hemorrhage, and to examine bAVM characteristics predicting change.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of a prospective institutional bAVM database. The authors included all patients with ruptured bAVMs who had DSA in both acute and delayed phases, with no interval treatment of their bAVM, between January 2000 and April 2017. The authors evaluated the existence or absence of angioarchitectural changes. Demographic data, radiological characteristics of hemorrhages, and angioarchitectural features of the bAVMs of the two patients' groups were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were performed to identify predictors of angioarchitectural change.

Results: A total of 42 patients were included in the series. Seventeen (40.5%) patients had angioarchitectural changes including bAVM only visible on the delayed DSA study (n = 8), spontaneous thrombosis of the AVM (n = 3), or alteration of the size or the opacification of the nidus (n = 6). The factors associated with angioarchitectural changes were a small nidus (3.8 ± 7.9 ml vs 6.1 ± 9.5 ml, p = 0.046), a superficial location (94.1% vs 5.9%, p = 0.016), and a single superficial draining vein (58.8% vs 24.0%, p = 0.029).

Conclusions: Angioarchitectural changes can be seen in 40% of ruptured bAVMs between the acute- and delayed-phase DSA. A small nidus, a superficial location, and a single superficial draining vein were statistically associated with the occurrence of angioarchitectural changes. These changes included either enlargement or spontaneous occlusion of the bAVM, as well as subsequent diagnosis of a bAVM following an initial negative DSA study.