Comparisons of 2/3Sh estimation technique to computer-assisted planimetric analysis in epidural, subdural and intracerebral hematomas.

Objective: The formula 1/2abc was suitable for the estimation of the epidural, acute subdural, most intracerebral and even some chronic subdural hematoma volume, but its accuracy was prone to be affected by some particular shapes of hematomas. In this study, we aimed to validate a more accurate method for the estimation of the epidural, subdural and intracerebral hematoma volume.

Methods: In the present study, hematomas were categorized into the epidural, subdural and intracerebral groups, and every hematoma in three subgroups was respectively estimated with the following methods, including the computer-assisted planimetric analysis (gold standard), 2/3Sh, 1/2abc, 1/3abc and Tada's formula. Moreover, the percentage deviation of the estimated hematoma volume by every method in comparison with gold standard was assessed respectively.

Results: Compared with gold standard (39.59 ± 24.47 ml), the formula 2/3Sh (40.55 ± 26.58 ml, P > 0.05) overestimated the epidural hematoma volume by nearly 1% (0.01 ± 0.09, P > 0.05); similarly, the formula 2/3Sh (70.56 ± 49.06 ml, P > 0.05) in comparison with gold standard (69.98 ± 45.99 ml) overestimated the subdural hematoma volume by nearly <1% (-0.00 ± 0.13, P > 0.05). In addition, the intracerebral hematoma volume assessed by the formula 2/3Sh in contrast with gold standard (33.33 ± 33.19 ml) was 33.88 ± 34.39 ml (P > 0.05) with an only 2% (-0.02 ± 0.15, P > 0.05) underestimation.

Discussion: The formula 2/3Sh in contrast with other methods was a precise, simple, convenient estimation method, which was suitable for the epidural, subdural and intracerebral hematoma volume.