Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system induced by a single-episode of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage: a study using MRI-enhanced gradient echo T2 star-weighted angiography

PLoS One. 2015 Feb 3;10(2):e0116632. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116632. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether a single episode of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (tSAH) could cause superficial siderosis of the central nervous system (SS-CNS).This study was approved by the local ethics committee. Thirty-two patients with a history of a single episode of tSAH were enrolled in the study. An episode of tSAH was confirmed in patients based on a CT scan or a lumbar puncture, and a follow-up examination was conducted at least six weeks after the brain trauma. A follow-up MRI examination was performed, using enhanced gradient echo T2 star-weighted angiography (ESWAN) to detect hemosiderin deposition on the cortical surface. The extent to which hemosiderin deposition was associated with several clinical factors was investigated. Various degrees of hemosiderin deposition were detected in 31 of 32 (96.9%) single-episode tSAH patients. Analysis of contingency tables revealed an association between the regions of subarachnoid bleeding based on CT images and the regions of hemosiderin deposition based on ESWAN images (χ2 = 17.73, P<0.05). SS-CNS was determined to be a common consequence after a single episode of tSAH. The extent of hemosiderin deposition is closely correlated with the initial bleeding sites and bleeding volume.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Central Nervous System Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Central Nervous System Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Central Nervous System Diseases / etiology*
  • Child
  • Cohort Studies
  • Hemosiderosis / diagnosis*
  • Hemosiderosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Hemosiderosis / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Traumatic / complications*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Foundation of Science Technology Department of Zhejiang Provincial (2012C33019), the Grant of Health Bureau of Zhejiang Province (2011KYA082) and the Science Foundation of Jiaxing Science and Technology Bureau of China under Grant (2012AY1071-11). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.