title: Usefulness of high-b-value diffusion-weighted imaging in acute cerebral infarction.
abstract: The aim of our study was to investigate the usefulness of high-b-value diffusion-weighted (DW) MR imaging in patients with acute cerebral infarction. DW images at b-values of 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 s/mm(2) were performed for 32 patients 48 h after the onset of stroke using a 1.5 T clinical imager. The area of restricted diffusion became more distinct and extensive with increasing b-value in 19 of 32 patients, especially in patients with the atherothrombotic-type cerebral infarction. The visualized extent of infarction was almost the same among the area of restricted diffusion on the b=3,000 ADC map, b=3,000 DWI and final infarction in 12 of 15 patients. High-b-value DWI provided better identification of lesion extension in the cerebral ischemia. It is suggested that the size of the final infarction or irreversible cytotoxic edema is more predictable on high-b-value DWIs than on the usual b=1,000 DWI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kameda Medical Center, 929 Higashi-Cho, Kamogawa-Shi, Chiba, 296-8602, Japan. QZM03215@nifty.ne.jp
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitai
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ida
authors.forename: Sadao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuda
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged