The Aortic Flow Reversal Ratio: A Quantitative Adjunct to the Bicêtre Score in Vein of Galen Malformation
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The Bicêtre score is a clinical tool used to guide the timing of intervention in Vein of Galen Aneurysmal Malformation (VGAM). However, it relies on the presence of end-organ damage. This study aimed to determine if an echocardiographic parameter, the Aortic Flow Reversal Ratio (AoFRr), can quantify significant systemic steal in clinically stable neonates (Bicêtre score ≥12) and to evaluate its utility in predicting treatment outcomes.
Methods
We conducted a single-center retrospective study in patients with VGAM who underwent endovascular embolizations. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to calculate the AoFRr (diastolic reversal VTI / systolic forward VTI) before and after intervention. We analyzed the prevalence and degree of pre-intervention flow reversal. Linear regression was used to correlate the pre-intervention AoFRr with the Bicêtre score. The change in AoFRr post-intervention was evaluated for its association with the likelihood of requiring subsequent embolizations using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Chi-square tests.
Results
In the cohort of 12 patients with a median total Bicêtre score of 18 (IQR 15.5 - 20), 83.3% demonstrated pre-intervention aortic diastolic flow reversal. The median pre-intervention AoFRr was 0.81 (IQR 0.49 - 1.05), indicating substantial systemic steal. Pre-intervention AoFRr moderately correlated with the Bicêtre score (R² = 0.4546). The initial embolization resulted in a statistically significant mean decrease in the AoFRr of 52.80% (p = 0.0232). A post-intervention reduction in AoFRr of ≥85% was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of requiring re-intervention (p = 0.0253).
Conclusion
Significant hemodynamic steal, quantified by the AoFRr, is evident on echocardiography in VGAM patients even when they are considered clinically stable by the Bicêtre score. The AoFRr provides a valuable, non-invasive measure of hemodynamic compromise that correlates with clinical severity scores. Its reduction following embolization predicts a more favorable clinical course. The AoFRr may serve as a critical adjunct to the Bicêtre score for risk stratification and for optimizing the timing of endovascular intervention.
