One of the top articles this month on Newswise is about a screening tool to detect those at risk for cerebral aneurysms. Dr. Arjun Burlakoti from the University of South Australia found that those with asymmetric brain arteries have a higher chance of developing an aneurysm.
About one million people per year have a ruptured brain aneurysm and almost half of them die. 50% of the cases are in people under 50, and women have a greater risk.
MRIs and CT angiograms can be used to tell if someone has asymmetrical brain arteries. If they do, they should be screened frequently for aneurysms.
Dr. Burlakoti says, “A lot of small, unruptured aneurysms go undetected in commonly used imaging techniques. They may not be diagnosed until they grow sufficiently to cause symptoms or rupture, often when it is too late.