Testing a new scanner to check brain stents safely

This research study is testing a new CT scanner technology called photon-counting detector CT to see if it can safely monitor brain stents without needing invasive procedures. The scanner produces clearer, more detailed images with less radiation than standard CT scanners. Researchers want to know if this new scanner can replace or complement the traditional invasive imaging method currently used to check if brain stents are working properly.

After brain stents are placed, patients need regular follow-up imaging to make sure the stent is working and hasn't narrowed again. Currently, doctors use an invasive procedure that requires threading a catheter into blood vessels—a procedure that carries risks including blood vessel injury and radiation exposure. This trial exists to see whether the new scanner technology can provide the same quality information without those risks.