title: The utility of XeCT cerebral blood flow in the management of acute stroke.
abstract: The fundamental pathophysiologic event underlying acute ischemic stroke is a reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF). Over 100 patients with acute stroke have been studied with xenon-enhanced computed tomography (XeCT) during the past three years. A retrospective analysis of these patients has revealed several important observations. XeCT is very sensitive in detecting acute ischemia. The pattern and depth of ischemia can be correlated with the physical examination, CT findings, and angiographic results. Patients with large volumes of severely ischemic tissue are more likely to suffer herniation, hemorrhagic conversion, and death than patients with small volumes of less ischemic tissue. Patients with normal CBF studies are more likely to have their deficits resolved within 24 hours that patients with abnormal CBF maps. It is likely that future prospective studies will better define the precise utility of XeCT in the acute management of cerebral ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, USA.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Firlik
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonas
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D006801:Humans; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014978:Xenon
chemical_list: D014978:Xenon