title: Postcontrast computed tomography in subarachnoid hemorrhage from ruptured aneurysms.
abstract: Computed tomography (CT) scans of 49 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) secondary to ruptured aneurysms were reviewed. Subarachnoid blood was detected in 95% when CT was performed within 5 days after the bleeding. Prediction of the site of the ruptured aneurysm from distribution of the cisternal blood varied from 92% for the anterior cerebral artery aneurysms to 70% for the middle cerebral and 47% for the internal carotid artery aneurysms. Following plain CT scans, postcontrast studies were performed in 27 patients. Aneurysms were directly visualized in 8 cases and subarachnoid enhancement was noted in 21. In 3 cases, subarachnoid enhancement made possible a correct diagnosis of SAH in the absence of evidence of cisternal blood on precontrast CT scans.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*