4D Flow MRI in Arterio-Venous Malformations

Michael Markl¹, Tim Carroll¹, Parmede Vakil¹, Sameer Ansari¹, Susanne Schnell¹, Michael Hurley¹, James Carr¹, Bernard Bendok¹, Hunt Batjer¹

The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of 4D flow MRI for the comprehensive characterizations of flow patterns in the complex vasculature of arterio-venous malformations (AVM). 3D blood flow visualization revealed intricate vascularization in 12 patients with AVM of different size, location, and severity as specified by the Spetzler-Martin grade. Different patterns of venous drainage with high variability in regional blood flow velocities indicate the complex nature of AVMs. In three patients, we were able to quantify changes in AVM hemodynamics following staged interventional embolization indicating the sensitivity of the technique for comprehensive hemodynamic monitoring during therapy.