The ABCs of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Blood Volume Measurement: A Simplified Quantitative Method Predicts Outcomes and Delayed Cerebral Ischemia

Abstract

Background We developed a simplified ABC/2‐derived method to estimate total subarachnoid hemorrhage volume (SAHV) on noncontrast computed tomography in patients with aneurysmal SAH and compared the clinical and radiographic outcomes. Methods and Results In this retrospective observational cohort study, we analyzed 277 patients with SAH admitted to our Comprehensive Stroke Center between 2012 and 2022. We derived a mathematical model (model 1) by measuring SAH basal cisternal blood volume using an ABC/2‐derived ellipsoid formula (A=width/thickness, B=length, C=vertical extension) on head noncontrast computed tomography in 5 major SAH cisternal compartments. We compared model 1 against a manual segmentation method (model 2) on noncontrast computed tomography. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis, t test, receiver operator characteristic curves, and area under the curve analysis. There was no significant difference in cisternal SAHV analysis between the 2 models (P=0.14). Mean SAHV by the simplified method was 7.0 mL (95% CI, 5.89–8.09) for good outcome and 16.6 mL (95% CI, 13.49–19.77) for poor outcome. Patients with delayed cerebral ischemia had higher SAHV, with a cutoff value of 10 mL. Conclusions Our simplified ABC/2‐derived method to estimate SAHV is comparable to manual segmentation and can be performed in low‐resource settings. Higher total SAHV was associated with worse outcomes and higher risk of delayed cerebral ischemia. A potential dose–response relationship was observed, with SAHV >10 mL predicting worse outcomes and higher risk of DCI.

Keywords

• ABC/2‐derived volumetrics
• aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
• clinical outcomes
• delayed cerebral ischemia
• subarachnoid hemorrhage volume