Noninvasive imaging techniques in the diagnosis and management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Scott A Marshall1, Sudhir Kathuria, Paul Nyquist

  • 1Division of Neurosciences Critical Care, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a devastating condition, requiring prompt diagnosis and therapeutic intervention as well as close monitoring for the development of complications including vasospasm (VS). Although digital subtraction angiography is still considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of aSAH (and vasospasm), new and less invasive modalities are emerging including ultrasound, CT, CT angiography and CT perfusion, and MR imaging. The current evidence for the use of these newer modalities is described for the diagnosis of aSAH and the management of its sequelae including VS.

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