Related Experiment Videos
Intra-arterial thrombus visualized on T2* gradient echo imaging in acute ischemic stroke
E Assouline1, K Benziane, D Reizine
1Department of Neuroradiology, CHU Lariboisière, Paris, France.
Cerebrovascular Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 1, 2005
Summary
Vascular susceptibility artifacts (VSA) are common in acute stroke patients with arterial occlusion. VSA detection sensitivity is lower than FLAIR but higher than CT, changing with recanalization or thrombus modification.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Vascular susceptibility artifacts (VSA) on gradient echo MRI indicate arterial thrombosis.
- Limited data exists on VSA time course and sensitivity in acute stroke.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess VSA frequency and course in acute stroke.
- Compare VSA sensitivity with FLAIR and CT findings for arterial occlusion.
Main Methods:
- 29 acute stroke patients scanned 45 min–6 h post-onset with identical MRI parameters.
- Diffusion-weighted imaging identified ischemic lesions; MRA confirmed MCA/PCA occlusion in 25 patients.
Main Results:
- VSA detected in 22/25 patients with arterial occlusion.
- FLAIR showed hyperintense vessels in all 25 cases; CT showed hyperdense arteries in 15.
- VSA dynamics (decrease, increase, disappearance) observed, linked to recanalization or thrombus changes.
Conclusions:
- VSA are frequent in early MCA/PCA occlusions in acute stroke.
- VSA sensitivity is lower than FLAIR but higher than CT for detecting arterial occlusion.
- VSA extent and intensity vary with recanalization and thrombus structural changes.