Relationship between alternation of cerebral blood flow and formation of brain edema around the hematoma after experimental intracerebral hemorrhage

Abstract

Objective To investigate the mechanism of brain edema formation around the hematoma and the relationship between the formation of brain edema and the changes of regional cerebral blood flow after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats, and to provide experimental basis for the clinical treatment of ICH . Methods Seventy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into ICH groups and sham-operated groups. ICH was produced by microinjection of 40 ul fresh autologous blood or saline into the right caudatum. Dynamic CT perfusion imaging was performed, and the parameters of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV), and mean transit time (MTT) around the hematoma were calculated respectively. Then the rats were sacrificed, and the water content, sodium, potassium, and calcium concentrations were measured respectively. The correlative study between the water content and rCBF and rCBV were carried out. Results The gradient of perihematomal hypoperfusion was revealed on CT perfusion maps in ICH groups. The alternation of rCBF around the hematomas were fluctuated, and rCBF reduction was most pronounced at 1 hour afer ICH, then the rCBF gradually returned, reaching the peaks at 6 hours and 24 hours after ICH, respectively. In the meantime, rCBV reduction around the hematoma was most pronounced at 1 hour after ICH. Then the rCBV gradually increased, and reaching the peak at 24 hours. The water contents were gradually increased in the ipsilateral basal ganglia in the animals sacrificed at 6, 24, and 72 hours. The accumulation of water was at its peak at 24 hours, and remained in the animals sacrificed at the 72 hours. The perihemorrhagic water contents correlated significantly with rCBV surrounding hematomas, r=0.372(one-tailed), P0.05. Conclusion The perihemorrhagic brain edema results from the common effects of the blood-brain-barrier disruption, cytotoxic edema, and the accumulation of osmotically active substances. The rCBF reduction occured in the early stage of ICH and the rCBV compensatory increase play important roles in producing vasogenic edema. Perfusion CT and its parameter analysis is a suitable method in the study of the relationship between the formation of brain edema and the changes of regional cerebral blood flow after intracerebral hemorrhage in vivo.