Vasospasm Diagnosis

Diagnosis of vasospasm is made by some combination of clinical, cerebral angiographic, and transcranial doppler ultrasonographic factors.

It can be detected accurately by using MEPs. MEPs are a feasible bedside tool for online VS detection in an intensive care unit and, therefore, may complement existing diagnostic tools ¹⁾.

see Angiographic vasospasm.

see Transcranial Doppler for vasospasm diagnosis.

The techniques used for identification of microcirculatory changes are xenon CT scanning, positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, MRI perfusion imaging, and CT perfusion (CTP) with CTP being in advantage because of its low cost, rapid imaging, high spatial resolution, and ease of performance ²⁾

Apart from imaging techniques, the clinical symptoms and the neurological examination of the patient play a crucial role. The disadvantage is that by the time cerebral vasospasm cause clinical symptoms, the ischemic event may have progressed too far, and the chance of a therapeutic intervention may have been missed ³⁾.