scholarly journals Computed tomography grading schemes used to predict cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a historical review

2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Klimo ◽  
Richard H. Schmidt

✓The elucidation of predictive factors of cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a major area of both clinical and basic science research. It is becoming clear that many factors contribute to this phenomenon. The most consistent predictor of vasospasm has been the amount of SAH seen on the postictal computed tomography scan. Over the last 30 years, it has become clear that the greater the amount of blood within the basal cisterns, the greater the risk of vasospasm. To evaluate this risk, various grading schemes have been proposed, from simple to elaborate, the most widely known being the Fisher scale. Most recently, volumetric quantification and clearance models have provided the most detailed analysis. Intraventricular hemorrhage, although not supported as strongly as cisternal SAH, has also been shown to be a risk factor for vasospasm.

Neurosurgery ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 702-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Brown ◽  
Abhay Kumar ◽  
Rajat Dhar ◽  
Tomoko R. Sampson ◽  
Michael N. Diringer

Abstract BACKGROUND: Delayed cerebral ischemia is common after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and is a major contributor to poor outcome. Yet, although generally attributed to arterial vasospasm, neurological deterioration may also occur in the absence of vasospasm. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between delayed infarction and angiographic vasospasm and compare the characteristics of infarcts related to vasospasm vs those unrelated. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with aSAH admitted from July 2007 through June 2011. Patients were included if they were admitted within 48 hours of SAH, had a computed tomography scan both 24 to 48 hours following aneurysm treatment and ≥7 days after SAH, and had a catheter angiogram to evaluate for vasospasm. Delayed infarcts seen on late computed tomography but not postprocedurally were attributed to vasospasm if there was moderate or severe vasospasm in the corresponding vascular territory on angiography. Infarct volume was measured by perimeter tracing. RESULTS: Of 276 aSAH survivors, 134 had all imaging requisite for inclusion. Fifty-four (34%) had moderate or severe vasospasm, of whom 17 (31%) had delayed infarcts, compared with only 3 (4%) of 80 patients without vasospasm (P < .001). There were a total of 29 delayed infarcts in these 20 patients; 21 were in a territory with angiographic vasospasm, but 8 (28%) were not. Infarct volume did not differ between vasospasm-related (18 ± 25 mL) and vasospasm-unrelated (11 ± 12 mL) infarcts (P = .54), but infarcts in the absence of vasospasm were more likely watershed (50% vs 10%, P = .03). CONCLUSION: Delayed infarcts following aSAH can occur in territories without angiographic vasospasm and are more likely watershed in distribution.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Pyeong Jeon ◽  
Seung Hun Sheen ◽  
Yong-Jun Cho

The study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of intravenous flat-detector computed tomography (IV FDCT) angiography in assessing hemodynamically significant cerebral vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as the reference. DSA and IV FDCT were conducted concurrently in patients suspected of having symptomatic cerebral vasospasm postoperatively. The presence and severity of vasospasm were estimated according to location (proximal versus distal). Vasospasm >50% was defined as having hemodynamic significance. Vasospasms <30% were excluded from this analysis to avoid spectrum bias. Twenty-nine patients (311 vessel segments) were measured. The intra- and interobserver agreements were excellent for depicting vasospasm (k=0.84and 0.74, resp.). IV FDCT showed a sensitivity of 95.7%, specificity of 92.3%, positive predictive value of 93.6%, and negative predictive value of 94.7% for detecting vasospasm (>50%) with DSA as the reference. Bland-Altman plots revealed good agreement of assessing vasospasm between the two tests. The discrepancy of vasospasm severity was more noted in the distal location with high-severity. However, it was not statistically significant (Spearman’s rank test;r=0.15,P=0.35). Therefore, IV FDCT could be a feasible noninvasive test to evaluate suspected significant vasospasm in SAH.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 966-973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Shirao ◽  
Hiroshi Yoneda ◽  
Hideyuki Ishihara ◽  
Kei Harada ◽  
Katsuhiko Ueda ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid clot is important in the development of delayed vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). OBJECTIVE: To compare the clearance of subarachnoid clot and the incidence of symptomatic vasospasm in surgical clipping and embolization with Guglielmi detachable coils for aneurysmal SAH. METHODS: The subjects were 115 patients with Fisher group 3 aneurysmal SAH on computed tomography scan at admission whose aneurysm was treated by surgical clipping (clip group; n = 86) or Guglielmi detachable coil embolization (coil group; n = 29) within 72 hours of ictus. Software-based volumetric quantification of the subarachnoid clot was performed, and the amount of hemoglobin in drained cerebrospinal fluid was measured. RESULTS: Clearance of the subarachnoid clot on the computed tomography scan was rapid in the clip group until the day after the operation but slow in the coil group (58.9% removed vs 27.8% removed; P = .008). However, postoperative clearance of the clot occurred more rapidly in the coil group. Reduction of the clot until days 3 through 5 did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (72.9% removed vs 75.2% removed). The amount of hemoglobin in the clip group was &gt; 0.8 g/d until day 3 and then gradually decreased (n = 15), but hemoglobin in the coil group remained at &gt; 0.8 g/d until day 5 (n = 17). The incidence of symptomatic vasospasm did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Subarachnoid clot can be removed directly during surgical clipping, which is not possible with endovascular treatment. However, the percentage reduction of the clot on days 3 through 5 did not differ between the 2 groups.


2019 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. e739-e746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Vulcu ◽  
Franca Wagner ◽  
Ana Fernandes Santos ◽  
Ralcua Reitmeir ◽  
Nicole Söll ◽  
...  

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