What Is a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage?
5. Diagnosis
When a patient with symptoms of SAH first arrives at the hospital, he or she will undergo an electrocardiogram. To confirm hemorrhaging, doctors also perform a computed tomography scan to obtain an image of the brain. They then test cerebrospinal fluid for the presence of blood by withdrawing a sample from the lumbar region of the spinal cord.
Once SAH is confirmed, doctors perform other imaging procedures to determine the location of the hemorrhage. These include additional CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Laboratory tests include a serum chemistry panel, complete blood count, prothrombin time/activated partial thromboplastin time, and arterial blood gas determination.
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