Monitoring cerebral blood flow change through use of arterial spin labelling in acute ischaemic stroke patients after intra-arterial thrombectomy.

Abstract

To evaluate the ability of arterial spin labelling perfusion-weighted imaging (ASL-PWI) to identify reperfusion status and to predict the early neurological outcome of acute ischaemic stroke patients after intra-arterial (IA) thrombectomy. A total of 51 acute ischaemic stroke patients who underwent IA thrombectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Asymmetrical index before and after IA thrombectomy (AICBF_pre and AICBF_post) and volume ratio of the reperfused territory to the baseline perfusion abnormality (reperfusion volume ratio) were calculated on ASL-PWI. A paired t-test was used to compare AICBF_pre and AICBF_post. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression were performed to evaluate correlations between the imaging parameters and NIHSS scores. Mean AICBF_post was significantly higher than mean AICBF_pre (0.923±0.352 vs. 0.312±0.191, p<0.001). AICBF_pre had a significant correlation with NIHSS_pre (pr=-0.430, p=.004). ∆AICBF had significant correlations with NIHSS_{24 h}, NIHSS_{5-7 days} and ∆NIHSS_{5-7 days} (r=-0.356, p=0.028; r=-0.597, p<0.001; r=-0.346, p=0.033, respectively). ∆AICBF, reperfusion volume ratio and baseline infarct volume were significant independent predictors for NIHSS_{5-7 days}. ASL-PWI has the potential to serve as a non-invasive imaging tool to monitor the reperfusion status and predict the early neurological outcome of acute ischaemic stroke patients after IA thrombectomy. • CBF change on ASL-PWI after IA thrombectomy correlated with NIHSS scores. • ASL-PWI can non-invasively monitor reperfusion in AIS patients after IA thrombectomy. • ASL-PWI may predict early outcome of AIS patients after IA thrombectomy.