Presence of deep white matter lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging is a negative predictor of early dramatic improvement after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator thrombolysis.
BACKGROUND
The impact of deep white matter lesions observed at the corona radiata on diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI-W lesions) on the clinical recovery of patients after tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy is unclear. Our goal was to elucidate whether DWI findings before tPA could predict clinical recovery.


METHODS
A total of 83 consecutive patients with hyperacute anterior circulation ischemic stroke were enrolled. All patients underwent MRI within 3 h and received intravenous tPA. The relationships among the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) on DWI (DWI-ASPECTS), DWI-W lesions, early dramatic improvement (> or =10-point reduction in the total National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, NIHSS, score or a total NIHSS score of 0-2 after 24 h), early improvement (> or =4-point reduction in the total NIHSS score after 24 h) and worsening (> or =4-point increase in the total NIHSS score after 24 h) were assessed.


RESULTS
The median of the baseline DWI-ASPECTS value was 9 (range: 5-10), and DWI-W lesions were found in 36 patients (43%). Patients with early dramatic improvement had a shorter time from onset to tPA (116.1 +/- 34.9 vs. 133.2 +/- 33.1 min; p = 0.0281) and higher DWI-ASPECTS (medians: 9 vs. 9; p = 0.0568). DWI-W lesions were seen less frequently in patients with than without early dramatic improvement (26 vs. 54%; p = 0.0213). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that absence of DWI-W lesions (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.08-3.13; p = 0.0279), higher ASPECTS (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.06-2.46; p = 0.0346) and shorter time from onset to tPA (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97-0.99; p = 0.0429) were independent predictors of early dramatic improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
DWI-ASPECTS and DWI-W lesions appear to be useful tools for predicting early dramatic improvement.
Kawano
Hiroyuki
H
Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Hirano
Teruyuki
T
Inatomi
Yuichiro
Y
Terasaki
Tadashi
T
Yonehara
Toshiro
T
Uchino
Makoto
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator