title: Assessment of cerebral circulation in the acute phase of subarachnoid hemorrhage using perfusion computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary brain damage, caused by acute ischemic changes during initial hemorrhage, is an important cause of death and disability following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). However, the mechanism underlying the reduction in cerebral circulation in patients in the acute stage of SAH remains unclear. The goal of this study was to clarify this mechanism with the aid of perfusion computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively evaluated 21 patients who had been undergone perfusion CT within 3 hours of SAH onset. Mean transit time (MTT) was estimated. Forty circular regions of interest 5 mm in diameter were delineated in the cortical region of the bilateral hemispheres on perfusion CT images. Neurological condition was graded with the Hunt and Hess scale, and initial CT findings were graded with the Fisher scale. We defined a good outcome as a modified Rankin scale (mRs) score of ≤2 at 3 months after SAH onset.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Global MTT was an independent predictor of outcome. The global MTT of patients with poor outcomes was longer than that of patients with good outcome. Furthermore, global MTT correlated significantly with Hunt & Hess grades, and disturbances in higher cerebral function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hemodynamic disturbances frequently occur after SAH. These abnormalities probably reflect the primary brain damage caused by initial hemorrhage. Perfusion CT is valuable for detecting hemodynamic changes in the acute stages of SAH.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Nippon Medical School, Japan. s3065@nms.ac.jp
authors: Kojiro
authors: K
authors: Tateyama
authors: Shiro
authors: S
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Yasuo
authors: Y
authors: Murai
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Teramoto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010477:Perfusion; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome