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Purpose: The effect of pretreatment infarct location on clinical outcome after successful mechanical thrombectomy is not understood. Our aim was to evaluate the association between computed tomography perfusion (CTP)-based ischemic core location and clinical outcome following excellent reperfusion in late time windows. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent thrombectomy for acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion in late time windows from October 2019 to June 2021 and enrolled 65 patients with visible ischemic core on admission CTP who had received excellent reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2c/3). Poor outcome was defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 3–6 at 90 days. The ischemic core infarct territories were classified into the cortical and subcortical areas. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used in this study. Results: Of the 65 patients analyzed, 38 (58.5%) had a poor outcome. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that the subcortical infarcts (OR 11.75; 95% CI 1.79–77.32; P = 0.010) and their volume (OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.04–1.32; P = 0.011) were independently associated with poor outcome. The ROC curve indicated the capacity of the subcortical infarct involvement (areas under the curve (AUC) = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.53–0.77, P < 0.001) and subcortical infarct volume (AUC = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60–0.83, P < 0.001) in predicting poor outcome accurately. Conclusion: Subcortical infarcts and their volume on admission CTP are associated with poor outcome after excellent reperfusion in late time windows, rather than cortical infarcts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to analyse MR imaging features and lesion patterns as defined by compromised vascular territories, correlating them to different clinical syndromes and aetiological aspects. Methods: In a 19.8-year period, clinical records and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of 55 consecutive patients suffering from spinal cord ischemia were evaluated. Results: Aetiologies of infarcts were arteriosclerosis of the aorta and vertebral arteries (23.6 %), aortic surgery or interventional aneurysm repair (11 %) and aortic and vertebral artery dissection (11 %), and in 23.6 %, aetiology remained unclear. Infarcts occurred in 38.2 % at the cervical and thoracic level, respectively, and 49 % of patients suffered from centromedullar syndrome caused by anterior spinal artery ischemia. MRI disclosed hyperintense pencil-like lesion pattern on T2WI in 98.2 %, cord swelling in 40 %, enhancement on post-contrast T1WI in 42.9 % and always hyperintense signal on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) when acquired. Conclusion: The most common clinical feature in spinal cord ischemia is a centromedullar syndrome, and in contrast to anterior spinal artery ischemia, infarcts in the posterior spinal artery territory are rare. The exclusively cervical location of the spinal sulcal artery syndrome seems to be a likely consequence of anterior spinal artery duplication which is observed preferentially here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A symptomatic lacunar infarct is an unusual complication which may develop during stereotactically guided pallidotomy using radiofrequency thermoablation. We describe a 54-year-old man with Parkinson's disease involving predominantly the right side, progressively deteriorating under medical management. He underwent stereotactically guided radiofrequency thermoablation of the posteroventral globus pallidus interna. Despite intraoperative microelectrode recording and stimulation, the patient developed right facial weakness and pronator drift during the procedure. MRI showed a small lacunar infarct in the left internal capsule, in addition to the appropriately placed ablative lesion. We discuss the potential mechanisms for this type of injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency, predisposing factors and clinical consequences of haemorrhagic infarcts and damaged blood-brain barrier as shown by contrast enhancement (CE) in ischaemic cerebral infarcts are controversial. We prospectively compared the sensitivity of CT and MRI to haemorrhagic transformation (HT) and CE. We also wished to investigate the clinical significance of HT and factors possibly associated with it. We studied 36 patients with acute ischaemic infarcts in the middle cerebral artery territory during the first 2 weeks after the ictus. After CT and rating of the neurological deficit on admission, serial examinations with clinical neuromonitoring, contrast-enhanced CT and MRI were done on the same day. The occurrence and severity of HT were correlated with CE, stroke mechanism, infarct size, development of neurological deficits and antithrombotic treatment. The frequency of HT detected by MRI was 80 %. CE usually preceded HT or was seen simultaneously. MRI had a higher sensitivity than CT to HT and CE. Severity of HT was positively correlated with infarct size ( P < 0.01). HT had no influence on patient's neurological status. Neither the type of antithrombotic treatment nor the stroke mechanism was associated with the severity of HT. No parenchymal haemorrhage occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the hyperacute phase of stroke, occluded vessels can be seen as high signal on fast-FLAIR images or as absence of flow-related enhancement in maximum-intensity projection (MIP) MR angiography (MRA). To compare these techniques, we examined 53 patients within 6 h of a stroke, using a standardised MRI protocol including fast-FLAIR and 3D time-of-flight TOF MR to detect vessel occlusion or reduced flow corresponding to the suspected ischaemic territory. Brain infarcts were confirmed on MRI after 1–5 days in 41 cases (77 %). The overall accuracy of 3D-TOF MRA was 68 % and sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 67 %, 71 %, 87 %, and 43 % respectively. Values for the fast-FLAIR sequence were: 65 %, 85 %, 93 % and 44 %, with an overall accuracy of 70 %. The fast-FLAIR sequence was thus able to show occluded vessels or reduced flow with about the same accuracy as 3D-TOF MRA and enabled better prediction of the ischaemic area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local intra-arterial fibrinolysis (LIF) is considered to support spontaneous recanalisation, which does not usually occur fast enough to prevent an infarct. Therefore, LIF may, at least theoretically, be especially useful in occlusions with large thromboembolic masses. We report our experience of LIF with urokinase in 12 patients with combined occlusions of the distal internal carotid, anterior and middle cerebral arteries (carotid “T” occlusions). There were 4 patients who survived with minor neurological deficits (Barthel index > 90), 4 with major deficits (Barthel index 40–55) and 4 patients died: in one of the last group a haematoma developed in a middle cerebral artery infarct. Recanalisation and clinical outcome were parallel in 10 of 12 patients. A patient with excellent leptomeningeal collaterals had a good clinical outcome despite only moderate recanalisation, and the patient with the parenchymal haematoma had good recanalisation. Recanalisation with urokinase in carotid “T” occlusions is often poor, but outcome can be good if treatment starts early, recanalisation succeeds and leptomeningeal collateral supply is good. Our results therefore encourage us, unlike previously reported series, to perform LIF in this type of occlusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to review the imaging features in acute (<24 h) basilar artery thrombosis. CT and MR studies in 11 patients with clinical diagnosis of acute basilar artery thrombosis were retrospectively reviewed. MR angiography was obtained in 4 patients. Correlation with clinical symptoms was performed. Multiple cranial nerve palsies and hemiparesis were the most common clincal symptoms at presentation. CT revealed hyperdense basilar arteries ( n=7) and hypodensities in the posterior circulation territory ( n=8). In one instance, the infarction was hemorrhagic. MR imaging showed absence of flow void within the basilar in 6 patients and MRA (using both PC and TOF techniques) confirmed absence of blood flow in 4 basilar arteries. One week after presentation, 5 patients died. Autopsy was obtained in 1 case and confirmed the diagnosis of basilar artery thrombosis. Basilar artery thrombosis has fairly typical imaging features by both CT and MR. MRA may be used to confirm the diagnosis. Prompt recognition may lead to early thrombolytic treatment and may improve survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical spinal cord lesions in the anterior spinal artery syndrome were delineated on magnetic resonance images (MRI) in four patients. The lesion was always seen anteriorly in the cervical cord. On T2-weighted images, the lesions appeared hyperintense relative to the normal spinal cord, while on T1-weighted images, two chronic lesions appeared hypointense, with local atrophy of the cord. In one case, repeated T1-weighted images showed no signal abnormality 4 days after the ictus, but the lesion became hypointense 18 days later, when contrast enhancement was also recognized after injection of Gd-DTPA; this sequence of intensity changes was similar to that of cerebral infarction. The extent of the lesion seen MRI correlated closely with neurological findings in all cases. Although the findings may not be specific, MRI is now the modality of choice for confirming the diagnosis in patients suspected of having an anterior spinal artery syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a cerebral infarct caused by atrial myxoma. A 30-year-old woman with an atrial myxoma presented with a right hemisensory deficit. MRI carried out before and after removal of the myxoma, showed multiple small bilateral white-matter infarcts which increased in number up to the surgery. A lesion in the left thalamus, which enlarged and showed contrast enhancement 4 months before surgery, resembled an old cerebral infarct by the time the myxoma was removed. The number of lesions stopped increasing after surgery. We suggest that atrial myxomas should be removed even in asymptomatic patients, to prevent cerebral infarcts due to embolism of tumour or thrombus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a patient with rhinocerebral mucormycosis whose initial central nervous system involvement was isolated pontine infarction due to basilar arteritis caused by the fungus. The patient was diagnosed and followed by MRI and CT and basilar arteritis was demonstrated well on MRI studies. Involvement of the skull base was shown on CT in the later stage of the disease. The unusual initial presentation of the infection is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the MRI appearances of an infarcted cavernous sinus tumor in a patient with Nelson's syndrome. Invasive tumors of the pituitary extending to the cavernous sinus are discussed and the role of MRI in preoperative investigation is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been postulated that the precentral gyrus in the left insula is responsible for co-ordination of speech. We report a paitent with this disturbance who showed an acute infarct limited to this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]