Correlation of MRI and CT data with outcome of cerebral revascularization after stroke

Sixteen patients with the occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) underwent extra-intracranial bypass surgery. All patients had stroke in evolution or completed stroke with mild or moderate (n = 9) or severe (n = 7) neurological deficits. In each case, the clinical course, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and angiographic (AG) findings were evaluated. Patients were followed up from 9 months to 2.5 years postoperatively. MRI was much more sensitive than CT for appreciating the ischaemic tissue. The infarct volume determined by MRI had greater extent than previously detected by CT. If the difference of the infarct volume, detected by MRI and CT was more than 30% the patients appeared to have benefited from bypass surgery as demonstrated clinically as well as with postoperative MRI and AG studies. Patients with lesser difference showed insignificant or no postoperative improvement.