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Background: Multiple hypointense vessels (MHV) on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) are frequently observed in patients with acute cerebral ischemia, but their implication has not been clearly established. To elucidate the clinical significance of MHV on SWI, we investigated the association of MHV on SWI with clinical data and other MR markers in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We enrolled acute stroke patients with internal carotid or proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion who underwent MRI including SWI within 3 days from stroke onset. Baseline clinical data were reviewed. Stroke severity was measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). We graded the degree of MHV on SWI as four groups of none, subtle, relative, or extensive by the modified Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Scan (ASPECTS) system. To evaluate the degree of collateral flow, distal hyperintense vessels (DHV) on FLAIR and vessels on post-contrast time-of-flight MR angiography (TOF MRA) source images were graded respectively as 3 groups: none/subtle/prominent and poor/moderate/good. Diffusion and perfusion lesion volume and diffusion-perfusion mismatch (DPM) ratio were measured in all patients. We analyzed the association of the degree of MHV on SWI with clinical data and MR markers. Results: Eighty patients were included in the study. The mean MR time from stroke onset was 12.4 h (range 0.5-63.0). There is no difference in MR time from stroke onset between groups of MHV on SWI. MHV were observed in 68 (85%) of 80 patients: none in 12, subtle in 11, relative in 13, and extensive in 44. There were no statistically significant associations between MHV on SWI and vascular risk factors. Patients with more extensive MHV on SWI had a smaller diffusion volume (p < 0.001), larger DPM (p < 0.001), and lower initial NIHSS scores (p = 0.022). Prominent DHV was presented in 29 of 44 patients with extensive MHV (p < 0.001). Good collateral flow on TOF MRA source images was presented in 37 of 44 patients with extensive MHV (p < 0.001). Conclusions: More extensive MHV on SWI in acute ischemic stroke is associated with lower initial NIHSS scores, smaller diffusion lesion volume, better collateral flow, and larger DPM. Our results show the possibility that MHV on SWI may be a useful surrogate marker for predicting increased oxygen extraction fraction and diffusion-perfusion mismatch in acute ischemic hemisphere. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cortical vessel signs (CVSs) on susceptibility-weighted images (SWIs) have been reported in patients with hyperacute ischemic stroke. We evaluated the change of this susceptibility sign on the immediate SWI after full recanalization and its clinical implications. Methods: Nineteen hyperacute ischemic stroke patients who had acute large artery occlusion and underwent post-recanalization SWI were enrolled in this study. The patients had ICA (internal carotid artery, 2 cases), M1 (M1 segment of middle cerebral artery, 7 cases), M2 (M2 segment of middle cerebral artery, 1 cases), T (intracranial ICA bifurcation, 2 cases), ICA/M1 (4 cases) and basilar artery (3 cases) occlusion on imaging studies before thrombolysis and they underwent immediate magnetic resonance imaging, including the SWI, after full recanalization. The recanalization status was evaluated using the thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) scorebefore and after thrombolysis. The SWI images were evaluated for the presence of asymmetry of veins over the ischemic territory and this was correlated with the site of stenosis or occlusion. The veins in the ischemic territory were classified as 'prominent' if there were more numerous veins and/or large veins with a greater signal loss observed compared with the opposite normal hemisphere, 'equal' if there were no significant difference in appearance in both the cerebral hemispheres, and 'less' if the veins were decreased in the affected area as compared with that of the normal cortex. Baseline clinical parameters and clinical outcomes were reviewed. Results: The initial TICI grades were 0 in all cases. After thrombolysis, TICI grades were 3 in all cases. The pre-recanalization SWIs were obtained in 10 of 19 patients and all 10 showed prominent CVSs over the affected side, which disappeared on the post-recanalization SWI. On the post-recanalization SWI, the observed veins in the affected area were equal (10/19), less (5/19), and both equal and less (4/19). Patients with equal cortical veins in the affected area had small lesions on diffusion-weighted image (DWI) (10/19), while patients with less cortical veins had medium to large lesions on DWI (9/19). Conclusion: The prominent CVSson SWI can be indicative of acute thromboembolic occlusion and its change immediately after recanalization can be used to reflect the metabolic status. After recanalization, the appearance of the equal CVS (return to normal) on SWI was associated with a favorable clinical outcome and infarction was avoided in our small series study. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]