Hypoperfusion intensity ratio correlates with angiographic collaterals in acute ischaemic stroke with M1 occlusion.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Among patients with an acute ischaemic stroke secondary to large-vessel occlusion, the hypoperfusion intensity ratio (HIR) [time to maximum (TMax) > 10 volume/TMax > 6 volume] is a strong predictor of infarct growth. We studied the correlation between HIR and collaterals assessed with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) before thrombectomy. METHODS: Between January 2014 and March 2018, consecutive patients with an acute ischaemic stroke and an M1 middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion who underwent perfusion imaging and endovascular treatment at our center were screened. Ischaemic core (mL), HIR and perfusion mismatch (TMax > 6 s minus core volume) were assessed through magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography perfusion. Collaterals were assessed on pre-intervention DSA using the American Society of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology/Society of Interventional Radiology (ASITN/SIR) scale. Baseline clinical and perfusion characteristics were compared between patients with good (ASITN/SIR score 3-4) and those with poor (ASITN/SIR score 0-2) DSA collaterals. Correlation between HIR and ASITN/SIR scores was evaluated using Pearson's correlation. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine the optimal HIR threshold for the prediction of good DSA collaterals. RESULTS: A total of 98 patients were included; 49% (48/98) had good DSA collaterals and these patients had significantly smaller hypoperfusion volumes (TMax > 6 s, 89 vs. 125 mL; P = 0.007) and perfusion mismatch volumes (72 vs. 89 mL; P = 0.016). HIR was significantly correlated with DSA collaterals (-0.327; 95% confidence interval, -0.494 to -0.138; P = 0.01). An HIR cut-off of <0.4 best predicted good DSA collaterals with an odds ratio of 4.3 (95% confidence interval, 1.8-10.1) (sensitivity, 0.792; specificity, 0.560; area under curve, 0.708). CONCLUSION: The HIR is a robust indicator of angiographic collaterals and might be used as a surrogate of collateral assessment in patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging. HIR <0.4 best predicted good DSA collaterals.

Tissue at Risk and Ischemic Core Estimation Using Deep Learning in Acute Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In acute stroke patients with large vessel occlusions, it would be helpful to be able to predict the difference in the size and location of the final infarct based on the outcome of reperfusion therapy. Our aim was to demonstrate the value of deep learning-based tissue at risk and ischemic core estimation. We trained deep learning models using a baseline MR image in 3 multicenter trials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with acute ischemic stroke from 3 multicenter trials were identified and grouped into minimal (≤20%), partial (20%-80%), and major (≥80%) reperfusion status based on 4- to 24-hour follow-up MR imaging if available or into unknown status if not. Attention-gated convolutional neural networks were trained with admission imaging as input and the final infarct as ground truth. We explored 3 approaches: 1) separate: train 2 independent models with patients with minimal and major reperfusion; 2) pretraining: develop a single model using patients with partial and unknown reperfusion, then fine-tune it to create 2 separate models for minimal and major reperfusion; and 3) thresholding: use the current clinical method relying on apparent diffusion coefficient and time-to-maximum of the residue function maps. Models were evaluated using area under the curve, the Dice score coefficient, and lesion volume difference. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-seven patients were included (minimal, major, partial, and unknown reperfusion: n = 52, 80, 57, and 48, respectively). The pretraining approach achieved the highest median Dice score coefficient (tissue at risk = 0.60, interquartile range, 0.43-0.70; core = 0.57, interquartile range, 0.30-0.69). This was higher than the separate approach (tissue at risk = 0.55; interquartile range, 0.41-0.69; P = .01; core = 0.49; interquartile range, 0.35-0.66; P = .04) or thresholding (tissue at risk = 0.56; interquartile range, 0.42-0.65; P = .008; core = 0.46; interquartile range, 0.16-0.54; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Deep learning models with fine-tuning lead to better performance for predicting tissue at risk and ischemic core, outperforming conventional thresholding methods.

Thrombectomy with Conscious Sedation Compared with General Anesthesia: A DEFUSE 3 Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The optimal patient sedation during mechanical thrombectomy for ischemic stroke in the extended time window is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of patient sedation on outcome in patients undergoing thrombectomy 6-16 hours from stroke onset. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Endovascular Therapy Following Imaging Evaluation for Ischemic Stroke 3 (DEFUSE 3) was a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial of thrombectomy for ICA and M1 occlusions in patients 6-16 hours from stroke onset. Subjects underwent thrombectomy with either general anesthesia or conscious sedation at the discretion of the treating institution. RESULTS: Of the 92 patients who were randomized to intervention, 26 (28%) underwent thrombectomy with general anesthesia and 66 (72%) underwent thrombectomy with conscious sedation. Baseline clinical and imaging characteristics were similar among all groups. Functional independence at 90 days was 23% for general anesthesia, 53% for conscious sedation, and 17% for medical management (P = .009 for general anesthesia versus conscious sedation). Conscious sedation was associated with a shorter time from arrival in the angiosuite to femoral puncture (median, 14 versus 18 minutes; P = 0.05) and a shorter time from femoral puncture to reperfusion (median, 36 versus 48 minutes; P = .004). Sixty-six patients were treated at sites that exclusively used general anesthesia (n = 14) or conscious sedation (n = 52). For these patients, functional independence at 90 days was significantly higher in the conscious sedation subgroup (58%) compared with the general anesthesia subgroup (21%) (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent thrombectomy with conscious sedation in the extended time window experienced a higher likelihood of functional independence at 90 days, a lower NIHSS score at 24 hours, and a shorter time from femoral puncture to reperfusion compared with those who had general anesthesia. This effect remained robust in institutions that only treated patients with a single anesthesia technique.

Arterial Spin-Labeling Improves Detection of Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas with MRI.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas carry a risk of substantial neurologic complications but can be difficult to detect on structural MR imaging and TOF-MRA. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy and added value of 3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling MR imaging for the detection of these lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 39 patients with a dural arteriovenous fistula and 117 controls who had undergone both DSA and MR imaging with pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling. Two neuroradiologists blinded to the DSA results independently assessed MR imaging with and without pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling. They recorded specific signs, including venous arterial spin-labeling signal, and the likelihood of a dural arteriovenous fistula using a 5-point Likert scale. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed to determine the accuracy of specific signs and the added value of pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling. Interobserver agreement was determined by using κ statistics. RESULTS: Identification of the venous arterial spin-labeling signal had a high sensitivity (94%) and specificity (88%) for the presence a dural arteriovenous fistula. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed significant improvement in diagnostic performance with the addition of pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling in comparison with structural MR imaging (Δarea under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.179) and a trend toward significant improvement in comparison with structural MR imaging with time-of-flight MRA (Δarea under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.043). Interobserver agreement for the presence of a dural arteriovenous fistula improved substantially and was almost perfect with the addition of pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling (κ = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: Venous arterial spin-labeling signal has high sensitivity and specificity for the presence of a dural arteriovenous fistula, and the addition of pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling increases confidence in the diagnosis of this entity on MR imaging.

Treatment of traumatic cervical arteriovenous fistulas with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate.

We report 2 cases of traumatic arteriovenous fistulas in the neck treated with transarterial embolization with n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (n-BCA). In both cases, covered stent placement across the fistula to preserve the artery was not possible. Detachable coil placement was attempted in one case but was not successful. Both fistulas were successfully treated with n-BCA embolization. To our knowledge, these are the first 2 such cases reported of high-flow cervical arteriovenous fistulas treated with n-BCA embolization.

Endovascular embolization of the swine rete mirabile with Eudragit-E 100 polymer.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Both adhesive and nonabrasive embolic agents are available for arteriovenous malformation (AVM) embolization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel ethanol-based nonadhesive liquid embolic material in a swine AVM model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eudragit (copolymer of methyl and butyl methacrylate and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) was dissolved in 50% ethanol and 50% iopamidol. Eudragit was injected into 9 retia mirabilia (RMs). Ethanol and iopamidol mixture were injected into 4 RMs for comparison. Three RMs embolized with Eudragit mixture were evaluated both angiographically and histopathologically acutely (3-24 hours) and at 30 days and 90 days after embolization. RESULTS: No procedural complications from Eudragrit embolization were noted, including retention or adhesion of the microcatheter. Various degrees of inflammation were observed in the acute and 30-day specimens. Two RMs showed partial recanalization on both histopathology and follow-up angiography in the 30-day group. Arterial fibrosis and calcification were observed in the 30- and 90-day specimens. The internal elastic lamina was disrupted in the 30- and 90-day specimens, but there was no evidence of Eudragit extravasation or hemorrhage. Endothelial damage was seen in all specimens and was particularly severe in the 30- and 90-day specimens. CONCLUSION: Eudragit polymer induced inflammation in thrombosis similar to n-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate, but without the disadvantages of perivascular hemorrhage and extravasation of embolization material. Although recanalization of some embolized RMs was noted, further investigation into Eudragit as a potentially useful embolic material for brain AVMs is warranted.

Patient Outcomes and Cerebral Infarction after Ruptured Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm Treatment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Anterior communicating artery aneurysm rupture and treatment is associated with high rates of dependency, which are more severe after clipping compared with coiling. To determine whether ischemic injury might account for these differences, we characterized cerebral infarction burden, infarction patterns, and patient outcomes after surgical or endovascular treatment of ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysms. Patient data and neuroimaging studies were reviewed. A propensity score for outcome measures was calculated to account for the nonrandom assignment to treatment. Primary outcome was the frequency of frontal lobe and striatum ischemic injury. Secondary outcomes were patient mortality and clinical outcome at discharge and at 3 months. RESULTS: Coiled patients were older (median, 55 versus 50 years; P = .03), presented with a worse clinical status (60% with Hunt and Hess Score >2 versus 34% in clipped patients; P = .02), had a higher modified Fisher grade (P = .01), and were more likely to present with intraventricular hemorrhage (78% versus 56%; P = .03). Ischemic frontal lobe infarction (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1-8.4; P = .03) and recurrent artery of Heubner infarction (OR, 20.9; 95% CI, 3.5-403.7; P < .001) were more common in clipped patients. Clipped patients were more likely to be functionally dependent at discharge (OR, 3.2; P = .05) compared with coiled patients. Mortality and clinical outcome at 3 months were similar between coiled and clipped patients. CONCLUSIONS: Frontal lobe and recurrent artery of Heubner infarctions are more common after surgical clipping of ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysms, and are associated with poorer clinical outcomes at discharge.

Relationship between apparent diffusion coefficient and subsequent hemorrhagic transformation following acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A method for identifying patients at increased risk for developing secondary hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after acute ischemic stroke could be of significant value, particularly in patients being considered for thrombolytic therapy. We hypothesized that diffusion-weighted MRI might aid in the identification of such patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 17 patients with ischemic stroke who received diffusion-weighted MRI within 8 hours of symptom onset and who also received follow-up neuroimaging within 1 week of initial scan. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for each pixel in the whole ischemic area was calculated, generating a histogram of values. Areas subsequently experiencing HT were then compared with areas not experiencing HT to determine the relationship between ADC and subsequent HT. RESULTS: A significantly greater percentage of pixels possessed lower ADCs (40% of the pixels possessed values

Is early ischemic lesion volume on diffusion-weighted imaging an independent predictor of stroke outcome? A multivariable analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The heterogeneity of stroke makes outcome prediction difficult. Neuroimaging parameters may improve the predictive value of clinical measures such as the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). We investigated whether the volume of early ischemic brain lesions assessed with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was an independent predictor of functional outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively selected patients with nonlacunar ischemic stroke in the anterior circulation from 4 prospective Stanford Stroke Center studies evaluating early MRI. The baseline NIHSS score and ischemic stroke risk factors were assessed. A DWI MRI was performed within 48 hours of symptom onset. Clinical characteristics and early lesion volume on DWI were compared between patients with an independent outcome (Barthel Index score >/=85) and a dependent outcome (Barthel Index score <85) at 1 month. A logistic regression model was performed with factors that were significantly different between the 2 groups in univariate analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients fulfilled the entry criteria. One month after symptom onset, 24 patients had a Barthel Index score <85 and 39 had a Barthel Index score >/=85. In univariate analysis, patients with independent outcome were younger, had lower baseline NIHSS scores, and had smaller lesion volumes on DWI. In a logistic regression model, DWI volume was an independent predictor of outcome, together with age and NIHSS score, after correction for imbalances in the delay between symptom onset and MRI. CONCLUSIONS: DWI lesion volume measured within 48 hours of symptom onset is an independent risk factor for functional independence. This finding could have implications for the design of acute stroke trials.

Prediction of hemorrhagic transformation following acute stroke: role of diffusion- and perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Acute diffusion-weighted (DWI) and perfusion-weighted (PWI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings may correlate with secondary hemorrhagic transformation (HT) risk in patients with stroke. This information could be of value, particularly in individuals being considered for thrombolytic therapy. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between DWI and PWI findings and the risk of secondary HT in patients with acute stroke. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: Twenty-seven patients with acute stroke capable of being evaluated with DWI/PWI 8 hours or less after symptom onset. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Apparent diffusion coefficient values, perfusion delay measurements, and subsequent MRI or computed tomographic scans detected HT. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD apparent diffusion coefficient of ischemic regions that experienced HT was significantly lower than the overall mean +/- SD apparent diffusion coefficient of all ischemic areas analyzed (0.510 +/- 0.140 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s vs 623 +/- 0.113 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; P =.004). This difference remained significant when comparing the HT-destined ischemic areas with the non-HT-destined areas within the same ischemic lesion (P =.02). Patients receiving recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) experienced HT significantly earlier than patients not receiving rt-PA (P =.002). Moreover, a persistent perfusion deficit in the area of subsequent hemorrhage at 3 to 6 hours after the initial MRI scan was identified in significantly more patients who experienced HT than in those who did not (83% vs 30%; P =.03). CONCLUSION: Both DWI and PWI scans detect abnormalities that are associated with HT. These findings support a role for MRI in identifying patients who are at increased risk for secondary HT following acute ischemic stroke.

Advantages of adding diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging to conventional magnetic resonance imaging for evaluating acute stroke.

BACKGROUND: Accurate localization of acute ischemic lesions in patients with an acute stroke may aid in understanding the etiology of their stroke and may improve the management of these patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the yield of adding diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) to a conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol for acute stroke. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: A referral center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-two patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke who presented within 48 hours after symptom onset were included. An MRI scan was obtained within 48 hours after symptom onset. A neuroradiologist (A.M.N.) and a stroke neurologist (G.W.A.) independently identified suspected acute ischemic lesions on MRI sequences in the following order: (1) T2-weighted and proton density-weighted images, (2) fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images, and (3) diffusion-weighted images and apparent diffusion coefficient maps. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnostic yield and interrater reliability for the identification of acute lesions, and confidence and conspicuity ratings of acute lesions for different MRI sequences. RESULTS: Conventional MRI correctly identified at least one acute lesion in 71% (34/48) to 80% (39/49) of patients who had an acute stroke; with the addition of DWI, this percentage increased to 94% (46/49) (P<.001). Conventional MRI showed only moderate sensitivity (50%-60%) and specificity (49%-69%) compared with a "criterion standard." Based on the diffusion-weighted sequence, interrater reliability for identifying acute lesions was moderate for conventional MRI (kappa = 0.5-0.6) and good for DWI (kappa = 0.8). The observers' confidence with which lesions were rated as acute and the lesion conspicuity was significantly (P<.01) higher for DWI than for conventional MRI. CONCLUSION: During the first 48 hours after symptom onset, the addition of DWI to conventional MRI improves the accuracy of identifying acute ischemic brain lesions in patients who experienced a stroke.

Comparison of diffusion-weighted MRI and CT in acute stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To compare diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) and CT with respect to accuracy of localizing acute cerebral infarction; sensitivity, specificity, and interrater reliability for identifying more than one-third middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory involvement; and correlation of acute lesion volume with final infarct volume. METHOD: Nineteen consecutive stroke patients underwent CT and DWI within 7 hours of stroke onset and a follow-up DWI examination 36 hours after symptom onset, which served as the "gold standard" for lesion location and extent of MCA involvement. Each scan was evaluated for acute ischemic lesions by two experienced observers. After 30 days, T2-weighted MRI was obtained for assessment of the final infarct volume. RESULTS: The acute CT and DWI scans were obtained on average 2.6 and 5.1 hours after symptom onset. On DWI the acute lesion was identified correctly in all instances and on CT it was identified correctly in 42 to 63% of patients. Sensitivity for detection of more than 33% MCA involvement was better for DWI (57 to 86%) than for CT (14 to 43%), whereas specificity was excellent for both. Interrater reliability was moderately good for both (kappa, 0.6 for DWI; 0.5 for CT). A positive correlation (r = 0.79; p = 0.001) existed between lesion volume on acute DWI and final infarct volume, whereas no correlation was found between CT volume and final infarct volume. CONCLUSION: When compared with CT, DWI was more accurate for identifying acute infarction and more sensitive for detection of more than 33% MCA involvement. In addition, lesion volume on acute DWI, but not on acute CT, correlated strongly with final infarct volume. Additional studies are required to demonstrate whether these advantages of DWI are clinically relevant in the management of patients with acute stroke.

Angiographically defined primary angiitis of the CNS: is it really benign?

BACKGROUND: Primary angiitis of the CNS (PACNS) is a diagnostically challenging disorder. In patients whose diagnosis is ascertained solely by cerebral angiography without histologic verification, a benign monophasic clinical course with favorable response to a brief course of immunosuppressive therapy is often reported. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients with PACNS seen at the Stanford Stroke Center. RESULTS: Patients were followed for a median of 27.5 months. Acute focal deficits (9 of 10) and headache (3 of 10) were the most frequent presenting symptoms. Significant recurrent neurologic symptoms occurred in 5 of 10 patients before the initiation of immunosuppressive treatment. Three of six patients had recurrent symptoms during prednisone therapy alone, whereas only one of seven patients had recurrent symptoms while receiving combination immunosuppressive therapy. None had recurrent stroke during immunosuppressive treatment. Dynamic arterial changes were seen in four of five patients who underwent follow-up angiography that often, but not always, correlated with disease activity. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with angiographically defined PACNS frequently did not have a benign outcome or monophasic course. Repeat angiography was useful in supporting the diagnosis of PACNS, but did not always correlate with disease activity. A prospective multicenter collaborative effort is required to better define the clinical course and optimal treatment of PACNS.

Evaluation of early reperfusion and i.v. tPA therapy using diffusion- and perfusion-weighted MRI.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the effects of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) therapy and early reperfusion on diffusion-weighted (DWI) and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) changes observed following acute ischemic injury. METHODS: Twelve patients were evaluated prospectively using echo planar DWI and bolus tracking PWI. Six patients received i.v. rt-PA 0.9 mg/kg and were compared with six patients who did not. Patients receiving rt-PA were initially imaged (T1) 3 to 5 hours postictus (mean, 4 hours 20 minutes) whereas those not treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) were imaged 4 to 7 hours postictus (mean, 5 hours, 25 minutes). Follow-up imaging was performed 3 to 6 hours (T2), 24 to 36 hours (T3), 5 to 7 days (T4), and 30 days (T5) after the first scan in all patients. Lesion volumes were measured on both DWI and time-to-peak maps constructed from PW images. RESULTS: PWI was performed successfully at T1 and T3 in 11 of 12 patients. In the group that received i.v. tPA, initial PWI volumes were less than DWI volumes in five of six patients (83%), whereas only one of five patients (20%) not receiving tPA had PWI < DWI volume (p = 0.08). PWI normalized by 24 to 36 hours (T3) in 6 of 11 patients (early reperfusers), with 5 of 6 of these early reperfusers having received tPA. The aggregate apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for the early reperfusers were consistently higher at T2 (p = 0.04), T3 (p = 0.002), and T4 (p = 0.0005). Five of six patients with early reperfusion demonstrated regions of elevated ADC within the ischemic zone (mean ipsilateral ADC/contralateral ADC, 1.46 +/- 0.19) by 24 to 36 hours, whereas none of the nonearly reperfusers showed these regions of elevated ADC (p = 0.015). CONCLUSION: Early reperfusion is seen more frequently with i.v. tPA therapy. In addition, the study showed that ADC may undergo early increases that are tied closely to reperfusion, and marked ADC heterogeneity may exist within the same lesion. Early reperfusion is seen more frequently with i.v. tPA therapy.

Yield of diffusion-weighted MRI for detection of potentially relevant findings in stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) could identify potentially clinically relevant findings in patients presenting more than 6 hours after stroke onset when compared with conventional MRI. METHODS: MRI with both conventional (T2 and proton density images) and echoplanar imaging (DWI and apparent diffusion coefficient maps) was performed 6 to 48 hours after symptom onset (mean, 27 hours) in 40 consecutive patients with acute stroke. All acute lesions were identified first on conventional images, then on DWI, by a neuroradiologist who was provided with the suspected lesion location, based on a neurologist's examination before imaging. Abnormalities were rated as potentially clinically relevant if they were detected only on DWI and 1) confirmed the acute symptomatic lesion to be in a different vascular territory than suspected clinically, 2) revealed multiple lesions in different vascular territories suggestive of a proximal source of embolism, or 3) clarified that a lesion, thought to be acute on conventional imaging, was not acute. RESULTS: The initial clinical impression of lesion localization was incorrect in 12 patients (30%). Clinically significant findings were detected by DWI alone in 19 patients (48%). DWI demonstrated the symptomatic lesion in a different vascular territory than suspected clinically or by conventional MRI in 7 patients (18%) and showed acute lesions in multiple vascular distributions in 5 patients (13%). In 8 patients (20%), DWI clarified that lesions thought to be acute on conventional MRI were actually old. CONCLUSION: In patients imaged 6 to 48 hours after stroke onset, DWI frequently provided potentially clinically relevant findings that were not apparent on conventional MRI.

Relationship between severity of MR perfusion deficit and DWI lesion evolution.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a quantitative analysis of the severity of the early perfusion deficit on MRI in acute ischemic stroke predicts the evolution of the perfusion/diffusion mismatch and to determine thresholds of hypoperfusion that can distinguish between critical and noncritical hypoperfusion. METHODS: Patients with acute ischemic stroke were studied in whom perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI MRI) were performed within 7 hours of symptom onset and again after 4 to 7 days. Patients with early important decreases in points on the NIH Stroke Scale were excluded. Maps of cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and mean transit time (MTT) were created. These hemodynamic parameters were correlated with the degree of recruitment of the baseline PWI lesion by the DWI lesion. RESULTS: Twelve patients had an initial PWI > DWI mismatch of >20%. A linear relationship was observed between the initial MTT and the degree of recruitment of the baseline PWI lesion by the DWI lesion at follow-up (R(2) = 0.9, p < 0.001). Higher CBV values were associated with higher degrees of recruitment (rho = 0.732, p < 0.007). The volume of MTT of >4 (R(2) = 0.86, p < 0.001) or >6 seconds (R(2) = 0.85, p < 0.001) predicted final infarct size. CONCLUSION: Among patients who have had an acute stroke with PWI > DWI, who do not have dramatic early clinical improvement, the degree of expansion of the initial DWI lesion correlates with the severity of the initial perfusion deficit as measured by the mean transit time and the cerebral blood volume.

MELAS: Clinical and pathologic correlations with MRI, xenon/CT, and MR spectroscopy.

We describe the clinical, imaging, and pathologic findings in a patient with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). The patient experienced her first stroke-like episode at age forty-four. Brain MRI, obtained at symptom onset, at 3 weeks, and at 1 year, revealed migrating T2-weighted hyperintensities in the temporal/parietal and occipital cortices and later revealed atrophy. Abnormal cerebrovascular reserve was evident on xenon/CT four days after the first MRI. MR spectroscopy at 1 year revealed increased lactate in both the occipital and temporal lobes. Histologic sections demonstrated spongy degeneration of the cortex that was most prominent at the crests of the gyri. Electron microscopy of the blood vessels showed increased numbers of abnormal mitochondria within the vascular smooth muscle and in endothelial cells. We hypothesize that the stroke-like episodes in MELAS may be due to impaired autoregulation secondary to the impaired metabolic activity of mitochondria in the endothelial and smooth muscle cells of blood vessels.

Correlation of perfusion- and diffusion-weighted MRI with NIHSS score in acute (<6.5 hour) ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Diffusion-weighted (DWI) and perfusion-weighted (PWI) MRI are powerful new techniques for the assessment of acute cerebral ischemia. However, quantitative data comparing the severity of clinical neurologic deficit with the results of DWI or PWI in the earliest phases of stroke are scarce. Such information is vital if MRI is potentially to be used as an objective adjunctive measure of stroke severity and outcome. OBJECTIVE: The authors compared initial DWI and PWI lesion volumes with subsequent 24-hour neurologic deficit as determined by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score in acute stroke patients. Initial DWI and PWI volumes were also compared with T2W MRI lesion volume at 1 week to assess the accuracy of these MRI techniques for the detection of acute cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Patients with stroke underwent MRI scanning within 6.5 hours of symptom onset. Lesion volumes on DWI and PWI were measured and compared with 24-hour NIHSS score. Initial DWI and PWI volumes were also compared with T2W lesion size at 1 week. RESULTS: There was a high correlation between 24-hour NIHSS score and lesion volume as determined by PWI (r = 0.96, p < 0.001) or DWI (r = 0.67, p = 0.03). A similar high correlation was seen between T2W stroke size at 7 days and initial DWI and PWI lesion size (r = 0.99, p < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Both DWI and PWI are highly correlated with severity of neurologic deficit by 24-hour NIHSS score. These findings may have substantial implications for the use of MRI scanning in the assessment and management of acute stroke patients.

Computed tomography slice-by-slice target-volume delineation for stereotactic proton irradiation of large intracranial arteriovenous malformations: an iterative approach using angiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE: Target-volume delineation for stereotactic irradiation is problematic for large and irregularly shaped arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). The purpose of this report is to quantify modifications in the target volume that result from iterative treatment planning that incorporates multimodality imaging data. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Stereotactic neuroimaging procedures were performed for 20 consecutive patients with AVM volumes > 10 cm3. Angiographically defined extrema were transformed into computed tomography (CT) space. The resulting target contours were then modified by a multidisciplinary treatment planning team after iterative review of angiographic, CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Volumes of interest and dose-volume histograms for proton irradiation were calculated before and after iterative target delineation. RESULTS: Initial (angiographically defined) target volumes ranged from 15.3 to 96.1 cm3 (mean, 43.6 cm3). Final (iteratively defined) target volumes ranged from 10.7 to 114.0 cm3 (mean, 38.4 cm3). The volume of presumed normal tissue excluded by iterative planning ranged from 2.6 to 47.0 cm3 (mean, 15.5 cm3). Initially untargeted AVM, most commonly obscured by embolization material, was identified in all cases (range, 0.3 to 57.8 cm3; mean, 10.3 cm3). Corresponding dose-volume histograms demonstrated marked differences regarding lesion coverage and sparing of normal tissue structures. CONCLUSIONS: Iterative target-volume delineation resulted in significant modifications from initial, angiographically defined target volumes. Substantial amounts of apparently normal tissue were excluded from the final target, and additional abnormal vascular structures were identified for incorporation. We conclude that an iterative multimodality approach to target-volume delineation may improve the overall results for stereotactic irradiation of large and complex AVMs.

In vitro evaluation of coils for endovascular therapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the physical characteristics and behavior of coils for endovascular therapy. METHODS: Mechanically detachable coils were constructed with simple helical (4 mm X 10 cm and 8 mm X 30 cm) and pretzel shapes (4 mm X 5 cm) made from three metals using 0.003- and 0.004-in wire. Stiffness or pliability, frictional resistance, shape memory, and coil stability were evaluated in vitro. RESULTS: The 0.004-in wire stock coils proved significantly stiffer when compared with the 0.003-in coils. Tungsten coils proved least pliable; platinum coils were intermediate in stiffness; and nitinol coils were softest. Frictional resistance in the catheter was greatest for stiffer coils. The 5-cm pretzel coil consistently created more frictional force than the 10- or 30-cm simple helical coils. Despite a shorter length, the 4-mm simple helical coil exerted more frictional force than the 8-mm coil. Stiffer metal coils constructed of larger-diameter wire (0.004 in) were more stable than softer coils. CONCLUSION: Stiffer coils exert greater frictional forces within the catheter and a greater resistive force during bending but are more stable after placement. Frictional forces also depend on the complex three-dimensional shape of the coil and the diameter of the turns in that shape rather than coil length. These data suggest that a family of coils of different metals is optimal for varied intravascular needs.