MR diffusion imaging of cerebral infarction in humans.

PURPOSE: MR diffusion imaging was performed to investigate changes in water diffusion in patients with cerebral infarction. METHODS: Diffusion maps of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were created to show local water mobility in the brain tissue in 15 patients. These ADC maps were compared with conventional T2-weighted images. RESULTS: Distinct subregions with different water diffusions were detected, even when the infarcted area appeared homogeneous on a T2-weighted image. The results also show that stroke lesions of the same age can have very different water diffusions. A trend towards an increasing diffusion coefficient in a lesion during the first several days following an acute event was observed in a group of patients imaged at multiple timepoints. CONCLUSION: The measurement of diffusion coefficients in vivo now offers an opportunity for greater understanding of the biophysical changes that occur during the evolution of infarction in humans.