DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17183574
title: 4D Flow MRI Datasets of Intracranial Aneurysm Models Before and After Treatment with 15 Endovascular Devices

description: This repository contains 33 in vitro 4D Flow MRI datasets of 5 unique aneurysm models constructed based on 3D rotational angiographic data of two patients. One patient has an aneurysm at the internal carotid artery (ICA) while another at the basilar artery (BA). To enable systematic comparison, the BA model was modified 4 times to accommodate various sizes of endovascular devices. All models were 3D-printed multiple times (up to 5 copies per model) to compare different designs of devices under consistent anatomical conditions. Mimicking treatment, endovascular devices were deployed into 15 aneurysm models (five flow-diverter stents [FD1-5] and ten intrasaccular devices [IFD1-10]). Digital BA models [1,2] and ICA models [3,4] have been previously used elsewhere and are publicly available at Zenodo [5,6].

The datasets were used in the publication "Evaluating flow modulating treatment response in intracranial aneurysms using black blood MRI in vitro," published in Communications Medicine, DOI: XXX (Pravdivtseva, 2025). In the paper, we utilized 4D Flow MRI to assess the treatment effect of various endovascular devices. For the details regarding the aneurysm models and endovascular devices, please refer to the paper (Pravdivtseva, 2025)

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging 

MRI experiments were conducted on a clinical 3T system with a 32-channel head coil (Ingenia CX, R5 V6.1, Philips Healthcare, Best, Netherlands). ICA models were perfused with a 40:60 glycerol–water mixture (dynamic viscosity 3.72 cP [7]) driven by a pulsatile piston pump (PD-1100, BDC Laboratories). BA models were perfused with water using a peristaltic pump (Ismatec MCP Standard, Cole-Parmer, USA). All test fluids were doped with gadobutrol (0.3 mmol/L, Gadovist, Bayer Vital, Germany) to enhance MR signal.

Time-resolved three-dimensional velocity fields were obtained using 4D flow MRI with a T1-weighted spoiled fast gradient-echo phase-contrast sequence and three-directional velocity encoding. Flow compensation and non-symmetric 4-point velocity encoding were applied (Philips Healthcare). The readout direction was aligned parallel to the parent vessel for Experiment 1 and perpendicular for Experiments 2 and 3. Typical sequence parameters included: echo time (TE) /repetition time (TR) – 5.0/8.3 ms; field of view – 110 x 100 x 40 mm3; isotropic voxel size 0.75 mm3; acceleration factor – 4.5 and 20 cardiac phases.

Because flow velocities varied across regions, multiple 4D flow MRI experiments were performed with tailored velocity encoding (VENC) values. These were determined from preliminary 2D phase-contrast MRI covering velocities between 10–200 cm/s. Final VENCs were set ~10 % above peak measured velocities: ICA models — no device: 80 cm/s; FD1: 20–120 cm/s; FD2: 80 cm/s; FD3–FD5: 50–120 cm/s; BA models: 75 cm/s.

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References

1.         Korte, J. et al. In vitro and in silico assessment of flow modulation after deploying the Contour Neurovascular System in intracranial aneurysm models. J. NeuroInterventional Surg. (2023). doi:10.1136/jnis-2023-020403

2.         Pravdivtseva, M. S. et al. The effect of the size of the new contour neurovascular device for altering intraaneurysmal flow. Interv. Neuroradiol. 15910199221145985 (2023). doi:10.1177/15910199221145985

3.         Velvaluri, P. et al. Thin-Film Patient-Specific Flow Diverter Stents for the Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms. Adv. Mater. Technol. 6, 2100384 (2021).

4.         Bautz, L. et al. Development of 3D-printed flow-diverting stents for studying the effect of aneurysm treatment in vitro. Ann. 3D Print. Med. 18, 100196 (2025).

5.         Pravdivtseva, M. S. 3D models of basilar tip intracranial aneurysms (STL) to study flow dynamics. (2021). doi:10.5281/zenodo.4723100

6.         Pravdivtseva, M., Oni, O. A. & Bautz, L. Intracranial aneurysm models with flow-diverting stents for 3D printing (STL files). (2025). at <https://zenodo.org/records/14987035>

7.         Segur, J. B. & Oberstar, H. E. Viscosity of Glycerol and Its Aqueous Solutions. Ind. Eng. Chem. 43, 2117–2120 (1951).