Aneurysm Genetic Risk in Patients With Changes in Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Over Time

Intracranial aneurysm rupture is a leading cause of hemorrhagic strokes which carry high mortality and disability rates as well as high healthcare costs. Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) are common in the general population, occurring in 1-2% of individuals. Previous studies have shown that UIA growth and rupture are strongly associated with each other, with growing aneurysms 9-12 times more likely to rupture, and nearly all aneurysms growing prior to rupture. Thanks to advanced medical imaging, UIA are now more and more often detected incidentally. However not all aneurysms qualify for preventive surgical or interventional procedures according to current International Study of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms (ISUIA) guidelines, and some must therefore be monitored for growth. Current guidelines are based heavily on size, an inconsistent predictor of future growth. To improve management strategies for individual patients and more comprehensively assess aneurysm risk, the investigators propose to identify risk factors related to growth.

Aneurysm etiology is multifactorial, with both genetic and environmental contributions to aneurysm formation, growth, and rupture. Exploring new risk factors based on aneurysm natural history and understanding the mechanisms underlying aneurysm rupture have been extensive research areas. As previous studies have shown that quantitative imaging biomarkers (QIB) can provide a more accurate assessment of the characteristics of aneurysms, the investigators propose a combined study which identifies QIB associated with aneurysm growth to identify factors related to growth.