[Cerebral CT perfusion in the diagnosis of acute brain infarction].
In recent years medical imaging is directed towards functional evaluation of tissues. Perfusion CT is an established functional method providing information on brain perfusion, enlightening the differentiation between irreversibly injured tissue and reversibly impaired "tissue at risk". With the new generation of multislice CT scanners, the performance of three examinations in a very short time is now feasible: Non-enhanced CT, CT angiography (CTA) and perfusion CT. Since these technologies are available in most hospitals 24 hours daily, comprehensive evaluation of the extent of ischemic event is now possible even in the emergency room. This information allows intravenous tissue plasminogen activator therapy within 3 hours of stroke onset in cases of acute ischemic stroke. We present the technique of CT perfusion and discuss its advantages and limitations as well as future applications.
Barmeir
Elisha
E
Department of Radiology and MAR Imaging Center, Bruce Rappaport Medical Faculty, Technion, Haifa, Israel. barmar@zahav.net.il
Zina
Abed-El-Rauf
AE
Mahajna
Ayed
A
Braun
Yacov
Y
Weler
Boaz
B
D000208:Acute Disease; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*