title: Rapid Endovascular Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke: What a General Radiologist Should Know.
abstract: Stroke is the second leading cause of mortality and the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life-years worldwide. For each minute of an ischemic stroke, an estimated 1.9 million brain cells die. The year 2015 saw the unprecedented publication of 5 multicentre, randomized, controlled trials. These studies showed that patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by large-vessel thrombus occlusion of the proximal anterior circulation had significantly reduced disability at 90 days when treated with endovascular thrombectomy and usual stroke care compared to usual stroke care alone. As a result, endovascular thrombectomy is now the new North American and European standard of care for suitable patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by large-vessel proximal anterior circulation occlusion. We review key take-home messages in this paradigm shift for radiologists, including the importance of time and workflow efficiency, what currently constitutes appropriate preimaging patient selection and imaging criteria, the use of newer generation thrombectomy devices, safety outcomes, as well as further areas still in need of elucidation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H Y
authors.initials: EHY
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Electronic address: shivajai1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jai J S
authors.initials: JJS
authors.lastname: Shankar
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D057510:Endovascular Procedures; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D018579:Patient Selection; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Acute stroke; Intra-arterial treatment; Stroke imaging; Thrombectomy