Blood-brain barrier permeability imaging as a predictor for delayed cerebral ischaemia following subarachnoid haemorrhage. A narrative review

Abstract

Background: Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage is associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to the myriad of complications contributing to early brain injury and delayed cerebral ischaemia. There is increasing interest in the exploration of the association between blood-brain barrier integrity and risks of delayed cerebral ischaemia and poor outcomes. Despite recent advances in cerebral imaging, radiographic imaging of blood-brain barrier disruption, as a biomarker for outcome prediction, has not been adopted in clinical practice.

Methods: We performed a narrative review by searching for articles describing molecular changes or radiological identification of changes in BBB permeability following subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) on MEDLINE. Preclinical studies were analysed if reported structural changes and clinical studies were included if they investigated for radiological markers of BBB disruption and its correlation with delayed cerebral ischaemia.

Results: There is ample preclinical evidence to suggest that there are structural changes in BBB permeability following SAH. The available clinical literature has demonstrated correlations between permeability imaging and outcomes following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH).

Conclusion: Radiological biomarkers offer a potential non-invasive prognostication tool and may also allow early identifications of patients who may be at risk of DCI.

Keywords: Aneurysms; Blood-brain barrier; Magnetic resonance imaging; Permeability imaging; Subarachnoid haemorrhage; Tight junctions.