Combining Investigation of Imaging Markers (Island Sign and Blend Sign) and Clinical Factors in Predicting Hematoma Expansion of Intracerebral Hemorrhage in the Basal Ganglia

Development and validation of the nomogram model derived non-contrast CT score to predict hematoma expansion in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

AIMS

Develop and validate new non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) score to predict hematoma expansion (HE) in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) patients based on hematoma's shape irregularity and density heterogeneity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective study was conducted among 136 patients for development and 90 patients for validation at two separate hospitals. SICH patients with NCCT scanned within 6 hours of symptoms and follow-up NCCT scanned within 24 hours were enrolled. Black hole sign and blend sign were integrated as combined heterogeneity; likewise, satellite sign and island sign were integrated as combined irregularity. Binary logistic regression analysis screened the covariates associated with HE. Nomogram was generated using the predicted value of binary logistic regression model to derive NCCT score to predict HE.

RESULTS

A total of 65 patients had HE in developmental cohort, where history of hypertension [odds ratio (OR) 2.56; 95% CI 1.169-5.607; P=0.019], initial NCCT time ≤ 3 hours (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.169-5.327; P=0.018), combined heterogeneity (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.160-5.365; P=0.019), and combined irregularity (OR 2.63; 95% CI 1.164-5.942; P=0.020) were independently associated with HE. A score was derived and a single point was allocated to each independently associated variable. HE was observed in 35 patients in validation cohort, which showed a proportional increase in the probability of HE with an increase in score accumulated.

CONCLUSION

New four-point NCCT score to predict HE was developed and validated, which may be regarded as fair predictive score where advance facilities are rarely available.

Machine learning for predicting hematoma expansion in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Early identification of hematoma enlargement and persistent hematoma expansion (HE) in patients with cerebral hemorrhage is increasingly crucial for determining clinical treatments. However, due to the lack of clinically effective tools, radiomics has been gradually introduced into the early identification of hematoma enlargement. Though, radiomics has limited predictive accuracy due to variations in procedures. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the value of radiomics in the early detection of HE in patients with cerebral hemorrhage.

METHODS

Eligible studies were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science from inception to April 8, 2024. English articles are considered eligible. The radiomics quality scoring (RQS) tool was used to evaluate included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 34 studies were identified with sample sizes ranging from 108 to 3016. Eleven types of models were involved, and the types of modeling contained mainly clinical, radiomic, and radiomic plus clinical features. The radiomics models seem to have better performance (0.77 and 0.73 C-index in the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively) than the clinical models (0.69 C-index in the training cohort and 0.70 C-index in the validation cohort) in discriminating HE. However, the C-index was the highest for the combined model in both the training (0.82) and validation (0.79) cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

Machine learning based on radiomic plus clinical features has the best predictive performance for HE, followed by machine learning based on radiomic features, and can be used as a potential tool to assist clinicians in early judgment.

Association between admission serum potassium concentration and the island sign on cranial CT in HICH patients: a cross-sectional study

Objective

This study aimed to explore the correlation between serum potassium (K+) concentration upon admission and the presence of the Island Sign (IS) in cranial CT scans of patients diagnosed with Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage (HICH), including the potential presence of a non-linear relationship.

Methods

This investigation constituted a single-center cross-sectional study. We systematically gathered comprehensive general clinical characteristics, biological indicators, and imaging data from a cohort of 330 patients diagnosed with HICH. These patients received treatment within the neurosurgery department of Chongqing Emergency Medical Center during the period spanning from July 1, 2018, to July 7, 2023. Our primary objective was to scrutinize the potential connection between serum K+ concentration upon admission and the presence of the IS observed in cranial CT scans. To meticulously address this inquiry, we employed logistic regression modeling, thereby meticulously evaluating the correlation aforementioned. Moreover, in order to delve deeper into the intricacies of the relationship, we extended our analysis by employing a smoothed curve-fitting model to meticulously authenticate the potential non-linear interrelation between these two critical variables.

Results

In this investigation, a total of 330 patients diagnosed with HICH were ultimately enrolled, exhibiting an average age of 58.4 ± 13.1 years, comprising 238 (72.1%) males and 92 (27.9%) females. Among these participants, 118 individuals (35.7%) presented with the IS upon admission cranial CT scans, while 212 patients (64.3%) did not exhibit this characteristic. Upon comprehensive multifactorial adjustments, a non-linear association was uncovered between serum K+ concentration and the presence of IS. Notably, an inflection point was identified at approximately 3.54 mmol/L for serum K+ concentration. Prior to the patient's serum K+ concentration reaching around 3.54 mmol/L upon admission, a discernible trend was observed-every 0.1 mmol/L increment in serum K+ concentration was associated with an 8% decrease in the incidence of IS (OR: 0.914, 95% CI: 0.849-0.983, p = 0.015).

Conclusion

The findings of this study underscore a negative association between reduced serum K+ concentration upon admission and the occurrence of the IS on cranial CT scans among patients diagnosed with hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage. Furthermore, this negative correlation appears to manifest within the realm of a non-linear relationship. This study elucidates the potential significance of serum K+ concentration levels among patients with HICH, highlighting the role they play. Moreover, the maintenance of a physiological equilibrium in serum K+ concentrations emerges as a conceivable protective factor for individuals within the stroke population.

Research advances in imaging markers for predicting hematoma expansion in intracerebral hemorrhage: a narrative review

Introduction

Stroke is a major global health concern and is ranked as the second leading cause of death worldwide, with the third highest incidence of disability. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating form of stroke that is responsible for a significant proportion of stroke-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Hematoma expansion (HE), which occurs in up to one-third of ICH patients, is a strong predictor of poor prognosis and can be potentially preventable if high-risk patients are identified early. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of previous research in this area and highlight the potential use of imaging markers for future research studies.

Recent advances

Imaging markers have been developed in recent years to aid in the early detection of HE and guide clinical decision-making. These markers have been found to be effective in predicting HE in ICH patients and include specific manifestations on Computed Tomography (CT) and CT Angiography (CTA), such as the spot sign, leakage sign, spot-tail sign, island sign, satellite sign, iodine sign, blend sign, swirl sign, black hole sign, and hypodensities. The use of imaging markers holds great promise for improving the management and outcomes of ICH patients.

Conclusion

The management of ICH presents a significant challenge, and identifying high-risk patients for HE is crucial to improving outcomes. The use of imaging markers for HE prediction can aid in the rapid identification of such patients and may serve as potential targets for anti-HE therapies in the acute phase of ICH. Therefore, further research is needed to establish the reliability and validity of these markers in identifying high-risk patients and guiding appropriate treatment decisions.

Irregular-Shaped Hematoma Predicts Postoperative Rehemorrhage After Stereotactic Minimally Invasive Surgery for Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is performed to treat patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) with favorable results. However, postoperative rehemorrhage is a significant risk. The present study retrospectively analyzed the association of irregular-shaped hematoma with postoperative rehemorrhage following stereotactic MIS (sMIS).

Methods

We enrolled 548 patients with spontaneous ICH who underwent sMIS. Based on the hematoma shape, the patients were assigned to the regular-shaped hematoma group (RSH group; 300 patients) or irregular-shaped hematoma group (ISH group; 248 patients). Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of postoperative rehemorrhage after sMIS for ICH evacuation. The functional outcome was assessed using the modified ranking scale (mRS) score at discharge. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to confirm the results.

Results

Among 548 patients with ICH who underwent sMIS, 116 developed postoperative rehemorrhage. Postoperative rehemorrhage occurred in 30.65% of patients with ISH and 13.30% with RSH (P < 0.01), with a significant difference between the ISH and RSH groups. Among 116 patients with postoperative rehemorrhage, 76 (65.52%) showed ISH on CT scan. In 432 patients without postoperative rehemorrhage, only 39.81% displayed ISH. The logistic regression analysis demonstrated that ISH could independently predict postoperative rehemorrhage. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predicative value were 0.655, 0.398, 0.655, and 0.602, respectively. The ROC analysis confirmed the value of ISH in predicting postoperative rehemorrhage with an area under the curve of 0.629.

Conclusions

Irregular-shaped hematoma was an independent predictor of postoperative rehemorrhage after sMIS.

A model comprising the blend sign and black hole sign shows good performance for predicting early intracerebral haemorrhage expansion: a comprehensive evaluation of CT features

OBJECTIVE

To predict early intracerebral haemorrhage expansion (HE) by comprehensive evaluation of commonly used noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) features.

METHODS

Two hundred eighty-eight patients who had a spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) were included. All of the patients had undergone baseline NCCT within 6 h after ICH symptom onset. Ten NCCT features were extracted. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to select the features. Using the finally selected features, a logistic regression model was built with a training cohort (n = 202) and subsequently validated in an independent test cohort (n = 86). Additionally, stratification analysis was performed in cases with and without anticoagulant therapy.

RESULTS

HE was found in 78 patients (27.1%). The blend sign and black hole sign were finally selected. The logistic regression model built with the two features exhibited accuracies of 76.7% and 75.6%, specificities of 98.6% and 98.4%, and positive predictive values (PPVs) of 83.3% and 75.0% for the training and test cohorts, respectively. The model also showed specificities of 100% and 98.5% and PPVs of 100% and 76.9% for the anticoagulant and non-anticoagulant drug use groups, respectively. These performances were better than those of each of the separate features.

CONCLUSIONS

By comprehensive evaluation, the model comprising the blend sign and black hole sign showed good performance for predicting early intracerebral haemorrhage expansion, particularly for high specificity and PPV, regardless of the anticoagulant status.

KEY POINTS

• Early identification of patients who are more likely to have haematoma expansion is important for therapeutic intervention. • Many radiological features have been reported to correlate with intracerebral haemorrhage expansion. • By integrating only the blend sign and black hole sign, the logistic regression model showed good performance for predicting early intracerebral haemorrhage expansion.

The initial CT blend sign is not associated with poor patient outcomes after stereotactic minimally invasive surgery

Background

The initial CT blend sign is an imaging marker that has been used to predict haematoma expansion and poor outcomes in patients with small-volume intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). However, the association of the blend sign with the outcomes of patients undergoing surgery remains unclear. The present study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the influence of the initial CT blend sign on short-term outcomes in patients with hypertensive ICH after stereotactic minimally invasive surgery (sMIS).

Methods

We enrolled 242 patients with spontaneous ICH. The patients were assigned to the blend sign group (91 patients) or non-blend sign (control) group (151 patients) based on the initial CT features. The NIHSS, GCS and mRS were used to assess the effects of sMIS. The rates of severe pulmonary infection and cardiac complications were also compared between the two groups.

Results

Statistically significant differences in the NIHSS and GCS scores were not observed between the blend sign group and the control group. No significant differences in the proportion of patients with good outcomes during the follow-up period were observed between the two groups. A higher rate of re-haemorrhage was noted in the blend sign group. Significant differences in the rates of severe pulmonary infection and cardiac complications were not observed between the two groups.

Conclusions

The initial CT blend sign is not associated with poor outcomes in patients with hypertensive ICH after sMIS. ICH patients with the CT blend sign should undergo sMIS if they are suitable candidates for surgery.

Minimally Invasive Intracerebral Hemorrhage Evacuation Techniques: A Review

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) continues to have high morbidity and mortality. Improving ICH outcomes likely requires rapid removal of blood from the parenchyma and restraining edema formation while also limiting further neuronal damage due to the surgical intervention. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) approaches promise to provide these benefits and have become alluring options for management of ICH. This review describes six MIS techniques for ICH evacuation including craniopuncture, stereotactic aspiration with thrombolysis, endoport-mediated evacuation, endoscope-assisted evacuation, adjunctive aspiration devices, and the surgiscope. The efficacy of each modality is discussed based on current literature. The largest clinical trials have yet to demonstrate definitive effects of MIS intervention on mortality and functional outcomes for ICH. Thus, there is a significant need for further innovation for ICH treatment. Multiple ongoing trials promise to better clarify the potential of the newer, non-thrombolytic MIS techniques.

Factors Associated with the Need for Ventriculoperitoneal Shunting in Patients with Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage Requiring Emergency Cerebrospinal Fluid Diversion

Introduction Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a serious medical condition that is frequently complicated by acute hydrocephalus, necessitating emergency cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion in a subset of patients, ultimately requiring long-term treatment via placement of permanent ventricular shunts. The present study aimed to determine factors associated with the need for permanent ventricular shunt placement in these patients.

Methods A total of 309 consecutive patients who underwent emergent CSF diversion with external ventricular drain (EVD) as a treatment for ICH between July 2009 and July 2018 were studied retrospectively to assess the factors that might be correlated with shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus. A binary logistic regression model was designed to identify independent related factors of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus after ICH.

Results Of 309 patients included in this study, 102 (33.00%) required permanent ventricular CSF shunting before discharge. In univariate analysis, age,ventriculitis, ICP elevation >30 mm Hg, ICH evacuation, the Graeb score, days of EVD in place, and CSF protein levels were significantly associated with the requirement for permanent CSF diversion (p < 0.05). The age and ICH evacuation were protective variables and the ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt possibility was reduced by 22.6 and 63.5%, respectively.

Conclusion Our results showed that higher Graeb score, ICP elevation >30 mm Hg, more days of EVD in place, and higher CSF protein levels were associated with permanent CSF diversion in these patients. Advanced age and ICH evacuation decreased the possibility of VP shunting in our study.These factors may help in predicting which patients will need permanent CSF diversion and could ultimately lead to improvements in the management of these patients.

Regular-Shaped Hematomas Predict a Favorable Outcome in Patients with Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage Following Stereotactic Minimally Invasive Surgery

BACKGROUND

Stereotactic minimally invasive surgery (sMIS) has been used in the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in recent years and has obtained promising results. However, the outcomes of patients are associated with many factors. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively observe the relationship between hematoma shape features and the outcome of patients with spontaneous ICH following sMIS.

METHODS

One hundred eighty-three patients with hypertensive ICH who underwent sMIS were enrolled. Based on hematoma shape features, the patients were assigned to a regular-shaped hematoma group (RSH group, including 121 patients) or an irregular-shaped hematoma group (ISH group, including 62 patients). The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score were assessed on admission and at 1 week and 2 weeks after surgery. The rates of severe pulmonary infection, cardiac complications, and postoperative rebleeding during the hospital stay were also recorded for comparison. The functional outcome assessed by using the modified Rankin scale score was determined at discharge. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed for predictors of good outcome in patients with ICH who underwent sMIS. A receiver operating characteristic curve was also used to confirm the results.

RESULTS

Compared to the ISH group, the RSH group showed increased median GCS scores at one week and two weeks after surgery. The RSH group showed significantly decreased NIHSS scores at one week and two weeks after surgery compared with the ISH group at the same time point. Significant differences in the GCS score and the NIHSS score at 1 week (P < 0.05) and 2 weeks (P < 0.05) after surgery were observed between the RSH group and the ISH group. The RSH group showed lower rates of severe pulmonary infection, heart failure, and postoperative rehemorrhage than the ISH group (P < 0.05). Of the total patients with good outcomes, the RSH group accounted for 84.6%, and just 15.4% were from the ISH group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that regular-shaped hematoma (P < 0.0001) was an independent predictor of good outcome. The postoperative residual hematoma volume (P < 0.05) predicted a poor outcome. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of regular-shaped hematomas for the prediction of a favorable outcome in patients were 0.667, 0.846, 0.917, and 0.542, respectively. Additionally, the Youden index was 0.513.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with regular-shaped hematomas exhibited more favorable outcomes. Irregular-shaped hematomas and postoperative residual hematoma volume predicted a poor outcome in patients with ICH following sMIS.

Analysis of different hematoma expansion shapes caused by different risk factors in patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the relationship between the risk factors and hematoma expansion(HE)shapes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From February 2013 to November 2018, 60 patients diagnosed as basal ganglia ICH were divided into the filled type hematoma expansion group (FTE group) and the expanded type hematoma expansion group (ETE group). we performed follow-up CT and three-dimensional reconstruction for the patients and compared the hematoma before and after the expansion of size and extent.

RESULTS

The regression analysis showed that the irregular sign (odds ratio, 3.64; 95 % CI, 1.46-9.12), black hole sign (odds ratio, 3.85; 95 % CI, 1.40-10.60), blend sign (odds ratio, 2.86; 95 % CI, 1.03-7.95), and early use of dehydration (odds ratio, 4.59; 95 % CI, 1.59-13.19) were possible risk factors for the ETE group, while the high systolic blood pressure (odds ratio, 1.51; 95 % CI, 1.04-2.30), early use of dehydration (odds ratio, 3.27; 95 % CI, 1.10-9.69) and low density low-density band (odds ratio, 4.52; 95 % CI, 1.54-13.28) were possible risk factors for the FTE group.

CONCLUSIONS

The irregular sign, black hole sign, blend sign and early use of dehydration may be the main risk factors for ETE, whereas early use of dehydration, high systolic blood pressure, and low density low-density band may be the main risk factors for FTE.

A Novel 10-Point Score System to Predict Early Hematoma Growth in Patients With Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background: A rapid and reliable method to predict significant early hematoma growth in the acute setting is of great important to better inform clinicians and researchers in their efforts to improve outcomes for patients.

Methods: We established a 10-point score system to predict hematoma growth including four parameters: baseline intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume > 30 mL, time to initial CT scan ≤ 3 h, island sign and black hole sign. Then, we reviewed our ICH database and assessed the predict value of the score system.

Results: A total of 216 ICH patients were included. Patients with hematoma growth at 24 h had higher score than those without hematoma growth (7.6 ± 3.0 vs. 2.0 ± 2.4, p < 0.001). The optimal cut-off value of the score for predicting hematoma growth was 3 (area under curve, 0.937; 95% CI, 0.899–0.975, p < 0.001), with 95% CI of 0.896–0.965 in bootstrapping analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive value of the score ≥ 3 for predicting hematoma growth were 97.8, 92.7, 90.9, and 98.3%.

Conclusion: The 10-point score system could predict hematoma growth with high accuracy.

Combination of ultra-early hematoma growth and blend sign for predicting hematoma expansion and functional outcome

OBJECTIVE

Ultra-early hematoma growth (uHG) in acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has been well established and can improve spot sign in the prediction of hematoma expansion (HE) and poor outcome. This study aimed to investigate whether uHG can improve blend sign as a promising combining marker to stratify HE and poor outcome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A consecutive cohort study in patients with primary ICH conducted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Demographic characteristics, medical history, clinical features and radiological characteristics were recorded. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independently risk factors of HE and poor outcome. β coefficient was calculated for combining markers using the logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were fitted to calculate predictive values for each variable and combining markers to stratify HE and poor outcome.

RESULTS

Among 257 ICH patients in the study, there were 85 (33.1 %) patients with HE. Blend sign and uHG were independently associated with HE and poor outcome (P < 0.05). Age, admission GCS score, presence of IVH at baseline CT were also independently associated with poor outcome (P < 0.05). Combining marker including uHG and blend sign had the best AUC (0.846, 0.80-0.90), sensitivity (87.1 %), NPV (91.0 %), and -LR (0.2) than single variable to stratify HE. Combining marker including uHG, blend sign and risk clinical factors had the best AUC (0.800, 0.75-0.85), sensitivity (75.6 %), NPV (73.2 %), -LR (0.33) than single variable and the ICH score to stratify poor outcome. ICH score had the highest PPV (80.3 %) and + LR (3.68) to stratify poor outcome than other variables.

CONCLUSION

The combination of both uHG and blend sign could be a simple and useful tool for better stratification of HE and poor outcome.