Background Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the brain are commonly treated in multimodality fashion, with endovascular embolization followed by surgical extirpation being one of the most effective strategies. Modern endovascular suites enable rotational angiography, also known as cone-beam CT angiography (CBCT-A), using the full capability of modern C-arm digital angiography systems. This imaging modality offers a superior image quality to current options such as digital subtraction angiography, MRI, or CT angiography. Preoperative planning can be greatly aided by the resolution of angioarchitecture seen in CBCT-A images. Furthermore, these images can be used for intraoperative neuronavigation when integrated with widely used frameless stereotactic systems. The utility and outcome of the use of CBCT-A for preoperative planning and intraoperative localization of AVMs was evaluated.

Methods A retrospective review was performed of 16 patients in which CBCT-A was performed, including radiological review and all clinical data.

Results CBCT-A was successfully employed in all cases including those with (n=9) and without (n=7) rupture. Complete resection confirmed by postoperative angiography was achieved in all cases.

Conclusions We present a novel application of CBCT-A in the treatment of AVMs, both for preoperative surgical planning and an intraoperative reference during neuronavigation.