Effect of cilostazol on delayed cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats: evaluation using black blood magnetic resonance imaging.

The purpose of this study was to use black blood magnetic resonance imaging (BB-MRI) to assess delayed cerebral vasospasm (DCV) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rats, and evaluate whether delayed treatment with the anti-platelet agent cilostazol was effective on DCV. BA vasospasm was sequentially assessed at 1, 2, and 3 h, and 1-6 days after SAH by BB-MRI. BB-MRI clearly visualized biphasic vasospasm; early vasospasm at 1 h later and the maximal DCV at day 2. Cilostazol was perorally administered twice at day 1 after having confirmed significant DCV using BB-MRI. The effect of cilostazol on DCV was evaluated at day 2. Cilostazol significantly attenuated DCV and suppressed the levels of malondialdehide and 8-isoprostane in CSF after SAH. This study shows that BB-MRI is a useful and less invasive method for the evaluation of DCV, and cilostazol may be effective on DCV.