RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Diagnostic yield of delayed neurovascular imaging in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, negative initial CT and catheter angiograms, and a negative 7 day repeat catheter angiogram
JF Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery
JO J NeuroIntervent Surg
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 637
OP 642
DO 10.1136/neurintsurg-2013-010896
VO 6
IS 8
A1 Josser E Delgado Almandoz
A1 Yasha Kadkhodayan
A1 Benjamin M Crandall
A1 Jill M Scholz
A1 Jennifer L Fease
A1 Ruth E Anderson
A1 David E Tubman
YR 2014
UL http://jnis.bmj.com/content/6/8/637.abstract
AB Purpose The yield of delayed neurovascular imaging in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), negative initial CT and catheter angiograms (CT angiography (CTA), DSA), and negative 7 day repeat DSA is not well understood. Our aim was to determine the yield of delayed neurovascular imaging for the detection of causative vascular lesions in this clinical scenario. Methods We retrospectively examined the yield of delayed CTA and DSA for the detection of causative vascular lesions in patients presenting to our institution with SAH, negative initial CTA and DSA examinations, and a negative 7 day repeat DSA during a 6.5 year period. Two neuroradiologists evaluated the non-contrast CTs to determine the SAH pattern, and the delayed CTAs and DSAs to assess for the presence of a causative vascular lesion. Results 39 patients were included: 23 men (59%) and 16 women (41%), mean age 55.5 years (range 33–75). 25 patients had diffuse SAH (64.1%), 12 had perimesencephalic SAH (30.8%), and two had peripheral sulcal SAH (5.1%). The delayed neurovascular examination was CTA in 30 patients (76.9%) and DSA in nine patients (23.1%). Mean time to delayed CTA or DSA was 34.9 days (median 34, range 14–69 days). Delayed CTA demonstrated a causative vascular lesion in two patients (5.1%, one small internal carotid artery aneurysm and one small pontine arteriovenous malformation), both with diffuse SAH (yield 8%). Conclusions Delayed neurovascular imaging is valuable in the evaluation of patients with diffuse SAH who have negative initial CTA and DSA examinations and a negative 7 day repeat DSA, demonstrating a causative vascular lesion in 8% of patients.