# Investigation of the quantitative intracranial aneurysm wall enhancement and geometric features associated with aneurysm volume growth

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2024 · $480,678

## Abstract

Abstract:
There are almost 500,000 deaths worldwide each year caused by rupture of intracranial aneurysms (IAs)
with half the victims younger than age 50. Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) can be treated by
endovascular and microsurgical interventions to prevent rupture, however, the treatment carries a non-
negligible risk of morbidity (5%–7%) and mortality (1%–2%). Current guidelines recommend intervention for
UIAs larger than 7mm, when their rupture risk is higher than the intervention risk. However, more than 50%
of ruptured IAs are smaller than 7mm. Identifying small aneurysms that are prone to rupture and performing
selective intervention can potentially prevent rupture of these small aneurysms. A recent meta-analysis
including more than 4000 UIAs with an average of 4 years’ follow-up showed aneurysms that grew during
the follow-up were 30 times more likely to rupture than the non-growing aneurysms (3.1% vs. 0.1%).
Identifying the factors that predict aneurysm growth can help select these high risk UIAs for treatment.
Aneurysm wall enhancement (a surrogate marker of inflammation, identified by contrast-enhanced vessel
wall MRI) and aneurysm geometric factors (such as shape or size ratio as identified on imaging) are two
promising markers that may predict aneurysm growth. However, the current evaluation of these factors is
limited by non-optimized imaging techniques that have flow artifacts, long scan time and subjective,
qualitative image analysis. This project will develop optimally accelerated and blood suppressed imaging
methods and quantitative image analysis methods for the evaluation of UIA wall enhancement and geometric
characteristics, and investigate the parameters associated with aneurysm volume growth by longitudinal UIA
evaluation using MRI. First, we will develop and optimize blood suppression and imaging acceleration
techniques using in vitro phantoms and in vivo testing in patients. Second, we will develop automatic
segmentation and quantification methods (Radiomics) for evaluating UIA wall enhancement and geometry.
Finally, we will follow 200 patients with >3mm UIAs using MRI each year for up to 4 years, and investigate
which clinical and quantitative imaging parameters are predictive of UIA volume growth.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10899533
- **Project number:** 5R01HL162743-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Chengcheng Zhu
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $480,678
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-08-16 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10899533

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10899533, Investigation of the quantitative intracranial aneurysm wall enhancement and geometric features associated with aneurysm volume growth (5R01HL162743-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10899533. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*