Xenon-enhanced computed tomography in the management of cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
At the University of Pittsburgh, xenon-enhanced computed tomography (XeCT) serves numerous critical roles in the management of patients following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Routine baseline XeCT studies are obtained within 24 hours of surgery and are used for comparison to later studies. In the setting of a delayed neurological deficit, XeCT is used emergently to distinguish vasospasm from other possible causes and to triage patients to appropriate non-invasive or invasive therapies. In cases of a delayed neurologic deficit without CBF changes, regardless of transcranial doppler results which can be unreliable, XeCT can prevent unnecessary angiography and potentially harmful invasive treatments. For patients demonstrating territorial ischemia diagnostic of symptomatic vasospasm, XeCT is used to monitor the efficacy of both invasive and non-invasive interventions. This paper summarizes the results and significance of clinical studies of XeCT in the management of patients after SAH at our institution.
Firlik
K S
KS
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, USA.
Firlik
A D
AD
Yonas
H
H
D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014978:Xenon
D014978:Xenon