This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
Background and Objectives The presence of postinterventional subarachnoid hyperdensities (SA-HD) is a relatively common finding after mechanical thrombectomy (MT). We aimed to assess the incidence, characteristics, clinical relevance, and predictors of SA-HD after MT as categorized through the use of postinterventional dual-energy CT (DE-CT).
Methods A single-center consecutive series of patients with acute stroke treated with MT was retrospectively reviewed. Posttreatment SA-HD were defined as incident extraaxial hyperdensities in a follow-up DE-CT performed within a median of 8 hours after MT. SA-HD were further classified according to their content (isolated contrast extravasation vs blood extravasation) and extension (diffuse [hyperdensities in more than one extraparenchymal compartment] vs nondiffuse). Adjusted logistic regression models assessed the association of SA-HD with pretreatment and procedural variables and with poor clinical outcome (shift towards worse categories in the ordinal Rankin Scale at 90 days).
Results SA-HD were observed in 120 (28%) of the 424 included patients (isolated contrast extravasation n = 22, blood extravasation n = 98). In this group, SA-HD were diffuse in 72 (60%) patients (isolated contrast extravasation n = 7, blood extravasation n = 65) and nondiffuse in 48 (40%) patients (isolated contrast extravasation n = 15, blood extravasation n = 33). Diffuse SA-HD were significantly associated with worse clinical outcome in adjusted models (common odds ratio [cOR] 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.36–4.00, p = 0.002), unlike the specific SA-HD content alone. In contrast with the absence of SA-HD, only the diffuse pattern with blood extravasation was significantly associated with worse clinical outcome (cOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.36–4.15, p = 0.002). Diffuse SA-HD patterns were predicted by M2 occlusions, more thrombectomy passes, and concurrent parenchymal hematomas.
Discussion In our cohort of patients imaged within a median of 8 hours after MT, postinterventional SA-HD showed a diffuse pattern in 17% of thrombectomies and were associated with more arduous procedures. Diffuse SA-HD but not local collections of blood or contrast extravasations were associated with an increased risk of poor outcome and death. These findings reinforce the need for improvement in reperfusion strategies.
Classification of Evidence This study provides Class IV evidence that in individuals with proximal carotid artery territory occlusions treated with MT, diffuse postinterventional SA-HD on imaging 8 hours postprocedure are associated with worse clinical outcomes at 90 days.
Glossary
- ASPECTS=
- Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score;
- DE-CT=
- dual energy CT;
- IQR=
- interquartile range;
- mRS=
- modified Rankin Scale;
- MT=
- mechanical thrombectomy;
- mTICI=
- modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction;
- NIHSS=
- NIH Stroke Scale;
- PH=
- parenchymal hematoma;
- SA-HD=
- subarachnoid hyperdensities;
- SAH=
- subarachnoid hemorrhage;
- TOAST=
- Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
↵* These authors contributed equally to this work.
Class of Evidence: NPub.org/coe
- Received April 30, 2021.
- Accepted in final form November 30, 2021.
- © 2021 American Academy of Neurology
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
