CT Angiography in Patients with Spontaneous Intracerebral Hematoma

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of CT angiography(CTA) in patients withintracerebral hematoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients with spontaneous intracerebral hematoma underwentCTA ; 20-30 seconds after the onset of an injection of contrast media(100mL, with the use of a power injector, ata rate of 3 mL/sec), Scanning(30-second continuous exposure and 60-90mm length) was performed with a table speedof 2-3 mm/sec and section thickness of 2mm. The starting point selected was the floor of the sella turcica. Theresulting data were reformatted by maximum intensity projection(MIP) after reconstruction at 1-mm intervals, andCTA findings were compared with those of conventional angiography(n=17), surgery(n=6), and postcontrast CT(n=10). RESULTS: The diagnostic findings of CTA included five arteriovenous malformations, two aneurysms, one venousangioma, and one venous sinus occlusion, while the remaining nine patients had no vascular lesion. In all cases,CTA findings correlated well with those of conventional angiography and surgery ; in four cases, they weresuperior to those of postcontrast CT. In one cases of arteriovenous malformation, however, the feeding artery anddraining vein were not definite on CTA, and in one case of sinus occlusion, the full length of the superiorsagittal sinus could not be delineated. CONCLUSION: In patients with spontaneous intracerebral hematoma, CTA is avaluable screening method.