Measurement of cerebral venous oxygenation with quantitative susceptibility mapping after subarachnoid hemorrhage: A pilot study

Abstract

Objective We measured cerebral venous oxygenation after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to explore its relationship with cognitive function. Methods Twenty participants, including 10 patients with aSAH and 10 healthy volunteers as the control group, were included. Patients with aSAH were evaluated at 2 days, 3 weeks, and 6 months after aSAH. Each participant underwent magnetic resonance imaging and completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at baseline, midpoint, and endpoint. QSM was used to determine the magnetic susceptibility of the cerebral veins. Furthermore, the relationship between MoCA and oxygen saturation in the cerebral veins was examined. Results The first scans of the cerebral veins and straight sinus susceptibility were considerably more significant in the aSAH group than in the healthy control group. At the 6-month follow-up, the mean oxygen saturation steadily increased in the aSAH group. Cerebral venous oxygen saturation was moderately correlated with MoCA (r = 0.5319, P = .0025). Conclusion QSM can be used to measure changes in cerebral venous oxygenation levels in patients with aSAH. During the acute phase of aSAH, there is a reduction in the oxygen saturation in the cerebral veins, and the shift in oxygen saturation levels may correlate with cognitive outcomes in patients with aSAH.