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Updated: Apr 26, 2026
Combined Near-infrared Fluorescent Imaging and Micro-computed Tomography for Directly Visualizing Cerebral Thromboemboli
Published on: September 25, 2016
Computed tomographic angiography and cerebral blood volume can predict final infarct volume and outcome after
Cheemun Lum1, Muhammad Ejaz Ahmed2, Satya Patro2
1From the Interventional Neuroradiology Section, Department of Medical Imaging-Diagnostic (C.L., M.E.A., S.P., R.T., D.I., H.L., M.d.S.) and Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine (M.H., D.D.), The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. chlum@ottawahospital.on.ca.
Background And Purpose:
Recanalization rates are higher in acute anterior stroke treated with stent-retrievers when compared with older techniques. However, some still have sizeable infarcts and poor outcome. This may be related to underestimation of core infarct on nonenhanced computed tomography (NECT). CT angiography (CTA) source images (CTASI) and CT perfusion may be more informative. We hypothesize that core infarct estimation with NECT, CTA, and CT perfusion predicts infarct at 24 hours and outcome after fast recanalization.
Methods:
Consecutive good recanalization patients with proximal anterior circulation stroke were evaluated. We assessed Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTs) on NECT for subtle early infarct, hypodensity, loss of gray-white (CTASI), and low cerebral blood volume (CBV; CT perfusion). Sensitivity and specificity for predicting infarct by region were calculated.
Results:
Of 46 patients, 36 (78%) had successful thrombectomy. Median ASPECTS was 10 for NECT early infarct and frank hypodensity; for CBV, CTASI-ASPECTS was 8. CTASI had the highest sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 82% for 24 hours NECT infarct. There was moderate correlation and concordance between CBV/24-hour NECT (Rp=0.51; Rc=0.50) and CTASI/24-hour NECT (Rp=0.54 and Rc=0.53). Thirty-four patients (74%) had good outcomes. Median ASPECTS was higher on CTASI (8 versus 5; P=0.04) and CBV (9 versus 5; P=0.03) for patients with good versus bad outcome. There were better outcomes with increasing CTASI-ASPECTS (P=0.004) and CBV-ASPECTS (P=0.02).
Conclusions:
CTASI and CBV were better at predicting 24-hour infarct and outcome than NECT. Appropriate advanced imaged guided selection may improve outcomes in large-vessel stroke treated with the newest techniques.
