Abstract
BackgroundDelayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). DCI results in focal neurological deficits in 30‐50% of patients within 4‐10 days following aneurysm rupture. Given the short comings of the current technologies in identifying DCI (mainly, transcranial dopplers), the current study employed the use of non‐invasive optical measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF) using a custom‐built diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) device. This research is supported by an R01 NIINDS funding mechanism.MethodsWe preformed daily bilateral cerebral blood flow measurements using a custom built DCS device in six patients following aSAH until discharge from our facility. Daily collection of transcranial doppler readings, NIHSS and GCS scores, in conjunction with other relevant clinical and angiographic procedural data were collected daily from admission until day 14 (or later if the patient remained symptomatic). In patients who underwent intra‐arterial vasospasm treatment in the angio suite, DCS recordings were obtained immediately before, after, and throughout the infusion.ResultsRecordings were successfully obtained in six patients. No safety concerns or interference with standard workflow procedures were noted. Correlation of daily DCS measurements with changes in clinical exam and occurrence of DCI are being finalized and prepared for the SVIN conference.ConclusionsPreliminary analysis have demonstrated that the use of DCS optical measurements is safe and effective in the clinical setting with minimal interruptions to standard clinical operations.