FLAIR hyperintensities-DWI mismatch in acute stroke: associations with DWI volume and functional outcome

The value of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensity (FVH)-diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)mismatch in predicting outcome with acute stroke is unclear. We assessed the association between FVH-DWI mismatch and functional outcome in patients with acute stroke patients receiving endovascular therapy. FVH-DWI mismatch, DWI volume, the functional outcome at 3 months (modified Rankin scale; mRS) and other clinical data were collected for 59 acute stroke patients receiving MRI within 6 h before endovascular therapy. Statistical analysis was performed to predict functional outcome after stroke. Patients with FVH-DWI mismatch (n = 39) had a higher FVH score (p = 0.038), smaller DWI volume (p = 0.007), higher American Society of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology (ASITN) (p = 0.043), higher interval time of ASITN (p = 0.038), and better functional outcome (p = 0.010) than patients with no FVH-DWI mismatch (n = 20). The good functional outcome group (n = 32) had a higher FVH score (p = 0.028), smaller DWI volume (p = 0.003) and higher ASITN grade (p = 0.043) than the poor functional outcome group (n = 27). Multivariable logistic analysis demonstrated that DWI volume (OR, 1.031; 95% CI, 1.005-1.058; P = 0.021) and FVH-DWI mismatch (OR, 14.311; 95% CI, 2.670-76.703; P = 0.002) were independently associated with functional outcome. Assessing DWI volume and FVH-DWI mismatch in acute stroke patients might be useful for predicting functional outcome after stroke.