MR imaging after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and surgery: a long-term follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
We assumed that patients with surgically treated aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) might have more lesions than those revealed by CT that could be visible on MR images.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective study of a series of 147 patients with aneurysmal SAH who were treated surgically within 3 days of the onset of SAH. One hundred four patients (mean age, 48.8 years) underwent MR imaging studies 2.1 to 5.6 years (mean, 3.3 years) postoperatively.


RESULTS
Eighty-four (81%) patients presented a total of 152 areas of increased signal intensity on T2-weighted images, consistent with infarction; 48% of the patients had lesions in the frontal lobes. CT performed 3 months postoperatively revealed hypodense areas on the scans of only 57% of the patients and showed lesions in the frontal lobes of only 16% of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients who undergo early surgery for aneurysmal SAH have more lesions than are revealed by CT. The difference is remarkable, especially in the frontal lobes.
Kivisaari
R P
RP
Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Salonen
O
O
Servo
A
A
Autti
T
T
Hernesniemi
J
J
Ohman
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed