DWI Lesion Characteristics as A Predictor for Outcome in Acute Stroke Patients Treated by IV-tPA

Abstract

As the world’s disease burden of stroke is rapidly increasing, treatment options diverse to suit the largest population of patients aiming at the best functional outcome. Since Time is brain and as shorter is the time to start treatment the better is the outcome, authors suggested various predictors for outcome with the different treatment modalities. Our study provides prognostic tools that could help clinicians’ treatment decision in acute ischemic stroke patients. Our thesis included one hundred acute ischemic non-lacunar stroke patients involving anterior circulation admitted to stroke units in Ain-Shams university hospitals. Full neurological examination and clinical assessment using NIHSS for assessment of stroke severity on admission, vascular risk factors assessment and Magnetic resonance imaging including (T1WI), (T2WI), diffusion weighted (DWI), (FLAIR), (MRA).Infarct volume in DWI were measured together with corresponding ADC values where DWI characteristics (site ,size , heterogeneity and ADC) were correlated with functional outcome Outcome was assessed by mRS (modified Rankin score) 3 months post discharge where the outcome was further classified into favorable outcome group and non-favorable group.