title: Early recanalization after intravenous administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator as assessed by pre- and post-thrombolytic angiography in acute ischemic stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recanalization rates after the intravenous (IV) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) treatment have been poorly studied in acute stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  CT angiography was performed before IV rt-PA in all patients and digital subtraction angiography was undertaken for intra-arterial thrombolysis in cases of no improvement after rt-PA infusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-five patients were treated with IV rt-PA. Initial CT angiography showed relevant arterial occlusions in 35 patients. Recanalization after rt-PA therapy was demonstrated by digital subtraction angiography in 7 of the 31 patients with the occlusion on initial CT angiography: 2/16 in the internal carotid or proximal middle cerebral artery, 3/11 in the distal middle cerebral artery and 2/4 in the basilar artery occlusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The early recanalization rate after IV rt-PA use was very low in cases with large proximal arterial occlusions. CT angiography before IV rt-PA may be useful for the prediction of its efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, National Core Research Center for Nanomedical Technology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemoon-ku, 120-752, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Yul
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Seo Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyo Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Sung Whan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Dong Joon
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Dong Ik
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Hoe
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Heo
mesh_terms: D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator