The need for repeat angiography in subarachnoid haemorrhage

• Published in: Neuroradiology Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 6 - 10
• Main Authors: URBACH, H, ZENTNER, J, SOLYMOSI, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.01.1998
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebral Angiography; Female; Humans; Intracranial Aneurysm - complications; Intracranial Aneurysm - diagnostic imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - diagnostic imaging; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - etiology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Human; Intracranial; Nervous system diseases; Radiodiagnosis; Angiography; Aneurysm; Cardiovascular disease; Hemorrhage; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Etiology; Central nervous system disease; Subarachnoid; Medical imagery; Strategy; Computerized axial tomography; Diagnosis; Cerebrovascular disease; Repetition
• ISSN: 0028-3940; 1432-1920
• DOI: 10.1007/s002340050528

This study was designed to assess the necessity for a second angiogram study in patients in whom initial angiography after primary subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) was negative. During a 12-year period, 122 of 694 patients (17.5%) had negative initial angiograms. CT, available for 98 patients, showed a preponderance of subarachnoid blood in the perimesencephalic cisterns in 50 of 73 patients (68.5%) in whom blood was visible on CT. Angiography, repeated in 67 patients, revealed an aneurysm in 4 (6%): 2 had an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery, 1 of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery, and 1 of the P2 segment of the posterior cerebral artery. CT showed subarachnoid blood in the interpeduncular and ambient cisterns in this last case, and a preponderance of subarachnoid blood outside the perimesencephalic cisterns in the remaining 3 patients.