Perfusion MRI of acute stroke

Abstract

8.7 Conclusion: Perfusion MRI allows evaluation of the hemodynamic status of acutely ischemic tissue and has greatly improved evaluation of acute stroke. The CBV abnormality correlates highly with the DWI abnormality, which is thought to represent the ischemic core. With proximal emboli, CBF and tissue transit time maps demonstrate the operational ischemic penumbra, additional tissue with altered perfusion that is at risk of progressing to infarction. Diffusion and perfusion MRI are useful in predicting tissue viability, and are also useful in predicting HT and clinical outcome. Most importantly, it has now been shown how DWI-PWI mismatch criteria may be used to successfully guide thrombolytic therapy. © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.