title: Susceptibility Vessel Sign on MRI Predicts Favorable Clinical Outcome in Patients with Anterior Circulation Acute Stroke Treated with Mechanical Thrombectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The susceptibility vessel sign on MR imaging has been reported to indicate acute occlusion from erythrocyte-rich thrombus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the susceptibility vessel sign seen on MR imaging before treatment on the clinical outcome after mechanical thrombectomy for anterior circulation acute stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively included 73 consecutive patients who were treated for anterior circulation acute stroke by mechanical thrombectomy from December 2009 to September 2013. Each patient underwent MR imaging before mechanical thrombectomy. The presence (susceptibility vessel sign+) or absence of the susceptibility vessel sign (susceptibility vessel sign-) was recorded. Mechanical thrombectomy was performed either alone or in association with IV tPA according to the site and time after occlusion. Good functional outcome was defined by an mRS ≤ 2 at 3 months in susceptibility vessel sign+ and susceptibility vessel sign- groups. Patient clinical characteristics, initial NIHSS score and ASPECTS, site of occlusion, time between onset to groin puncture, TICI after mechanical thrombectomy, NIHSS score at day 1, and spontaneous hyperattenuation on CT at day 1 were also analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three patients with susceptibility vessel sign+ and 20 with susceptibility vessel sign- were included in our study. mRS ≤ 2 at 3 months occurred in 65% patients in the susceptibility vessel sign+ group and 26% in the susceptibility vessel sign- group (P = .004). On multivariate analysis, the susceptibility vessel sign was the only parameter before treatment that could predict mRS ≤ 2 at 3 months (OR, 8.7; 95% CI, 1.1-69.4; P = .04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study strongly suggests that the susceptibility vessel sign on MR imaging before treatment is predictive of favorable clinical outcome for patients presenting with anterior circulation acute stroke and treated with mechanical thrombectomy.
authors: From the Departments of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (R.B., S.V., B.D.-D., A.L.-G., H.D.) romain.bourcier2@gmail.com.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Bourcier
authors: From the Departments of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (R.B., S.V., B.D.-D., A.L.-G., H.D.).
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Volpi
authors: Centre d'investigation clinique Thorax (B.G.), l'institut du thorax, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nantes, Nantes, France Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR1087 (B.G., J.M.S., H.D.), l'institut du thorax, Nantes, France Centre national de la recherche scientifique (B.G,), UMR 6291, Nantes, France.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Guyomarch
authors: From the Departments of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (R.B., S.V., B.D.-D., A.L.-G., H.D.).
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Daumas-Duport
authors: From the Departments of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (R.B., S.V., B.D.-D., A.L.-G., H.D.).
authors: A
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5466-5428
authors: A
authors: Lintia-Gaultier
authors: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (C.P.), Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Tours, Bretonneau Hospital, Tours, France.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Papagiannaki
authors: Diagnostic Cardiac and Vascular Imaging (J.M.S.), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nantes Hôpital G et R Laënnec, Nantes, France Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR1087 (B.G., J.M.S., H.D.), l'institut du thorax, Nantes, France.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Serfaty
authors: From the Departments of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (R.B., S.V., B.D.-D., A.L.-G., H.D.) Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR1087 (B.G., J.M.S., H.D.), l'institut du thorax, Nantes, France.
authors: H
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4665-1461
authors: H
authors: Desal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome