Preoperatively estimated graft flow rate contributes to the improvement of hemodynamics in revascularization for Moyamoya disease.

Superficial temporal artery (STA)-middle cerebral artery (MCA) bypass operation is an effective treatment for patients with Moyamoya disease, and the hemodynamic parameters are reported to be improved after operation. However, there is no report concerning hemodynamic changes from the viewpoint of the preoperative anatomical structure of grafts. In this study, we evaluated the correlation between the preoperatively estimated blood flow of the graft obtained through image-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and the hemodynamic changes in the acute phase after revascularization. A total of 30 hemispheric sides of 23 patients were examined. The blood flow, that is, flow rate (FR) of the STA branches that were anastomosed to the MCA was evaluated using CFD analysis based on computed tomography (CT) angiography imaging data. The correlations between the FR and the hemodynamic changes in the acute phase after revascularization obtained through CT perfusion were assessed. The preoperatively estimated FR of the graft was moderately correlated with the changes in the mean transit time significantly and weakly correlated with those in the cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume. In addition, the FR was strongly correlated with age and the diameter of the STA from the origin to the bifurcation. The preoperatively estimated FR of the graft obtained through image-based CFD analysis contributed to the improvement of the mean transit time after revascularization. Because the FR of the graft was associated with the diameter of the STA, the size of the STA might be an important factor in postoperative hemodynamic changes. This might lead to the risk assessment of acute drastic hemodynamic changes as cerebral hyperperfusion, and consequently, better surgical outcomes might be expected.