Quantitative magnetic resonance angiography as an alternative imaging technique in the assessment of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage

MR Imaging Techniques for Acute Ischemic Stroke and Delayed Cerebral Ischemia Following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and its prevalence is expected to increase with global population aging and the burgeoning obesity epidemic. Clinical care for AIS has evolved during the past 3 decades, and it comprises of 3 major tenants: (1) timely recanalization of occluded vessels with intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular thrombectomy, (2) prompt initiation of antithrombotic agents to prevent stroke recurrences, and (3) poststroke supportive care and rehabilitation. In this article, we summarize commonly used MR sequences for AIS and DCI and highlight their clinical applications.

Intracranial dynamics biomarkers at traumatic cerebral vasospasm

Introduction

Patients who suffer severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) and cerebral vasospasm (CVS) frequently have posttraumatic cerebral ischemia (PCI).

The research question

was to study changes in cerebral microcirculatory bed parameters in sTBI patients with CVS and with or without PCI.

Material and methods

A total of 136 severe TBI patients were recruited in the study. All patients underwent perfusion computed tomography, intracranial pressure monitoring, and transcranial Doppler. The levels of cerebrovascular resistance (CVR), cerebral arterial compliance (CAC), cerebrovascular time constant (CTC), and critical closing pressure (CCP) were measured using the neuromonitoring complex. Statistical analysis was performed using parametric and nonparametric methods and factor analysis. The patients were dichotomized into PCI-positive (n = 114) and PCI-negative (n = 22) groups. Data are presented as mean values (standard deviations).

Results

CVR was significantly increased, whereas CAC, CTC, and CCP were significantly decreased in sTBI patients with CVS and PCI development (p < 0.05). Factor analyses revealed that all studied microcirculatory bed parameters were significantly associated with the development of PCI (p < 0.05).

Discussion and conclusion

The changes in all studied microcirculatory bed parameters in TBI patients with CVS were significantly associated with PCI development, which enables us to regard them as the biomarkers of CVS and PCI development. The causes of the described microcirculatory bed parameters changes might include complex (cytotoxic and vasogenic) brain edema development, regional microvascular spasm, and dysfunction of pericytes. A further prospective study is warranted.