Infarct Core Expansion on Computed Tomography before and after Intravenous Thrombolysis

PURPOSE: Infarct core can expand rapidly in acute stroke patients receiving intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA). We investigated changes in the extent of infarct core during IV t-PA treatment, and explored the associative factors of this infarct core expansion in patients with proximal artery occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included patients who were considered for sequential intra-arterial therapy (IAT) due to occlusion of intracranial proximal artery after IV t-PA. Patients who had a baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography (CT) Score (ASPECTS) ≥6 and who underwent two consecutive CT scans before and shortly after IV t-PA infusion were enrolled. Patients were classified into no, moderate, and marked expansion groups based on decreases in ASPECTS (0–1, 2–3, and ≥4, respectively) on follow-up CT. Collateral status was graded using CT angiography. RESULTS: Of the 104 patients, 16 (15.4%) patients showed moderate and 13 (12.5%) patients showed marked infarct core expansion on follow-up CT scans obtained at 71.1±19.1 min after baseline CT scan. Sixteen (15.4%) patients had an ASPECTS value < 6 on the follow-up CT. None of the patients with marked expansion were independent at 3 months. Univariate analysis and ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the infarct core expansion was significantly associated with collateral status (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among patients who were considered for IAT after IV t-PA treatment, one out of every seven patients exhibited marked expansion of infarct core on follow-up CT before IAT. These patients tend to have poor collaterals and poor outcomes despite rescue IAT.

Retracción palpebral de causa neurológica: presentación de tres pacientes, interpretación patogénica / Eyelid retraction of neurologic origin: report of three cases

Eyelid retraction, has received limited attention and it has passively been interpreted as the result of an overactive levator palpebrae superioris muscle secondary to midbrain injury. However, eyelid retractions can occur in other neurological diseases, not directly related with the midbrain. We report three patients who developed eyelid retraction. One patient had a bilateral eyelid retraction, related with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Another patient had a unilateral right eyelid retraction associated with a thalamic-mesencephalic infarct. The third patient had a bilateral pontine infarction on magnetic resonance imaging. In the patient with CJD, eyelid retraction did not subside. Among patients with infarctions, the retraction persisted after focal symptoms had subsided, showing an evolution that was apparently independent of the basic process. The analysis of these patients allows us to conclude that the pathogenesis of eyelid retraction includes supranuclear mechanisms in both the development and maintenance of the phenomenon. Unilateral or bilateral eyelid retraction does not alter the normal function of eyelid, which ever had normal close eye blink. In these reported cases, a hyperactivity of levator palpebrae superioris muscle was clinically ruled out.

Compromiso cerebrovascular agudo en síndrome hemolítico urémico: descripción de dos casos pediátricos / Acute cerebrovascular events associated to hemolytic uremic syndrome: description of two pediatric cases

El Síndrome Hemolítico Urémico asociado a diarrea (SHU+D) es un desorden multisistémico en el cual el compromiso neurológico se asocia a empeoramiento del pronóstico. Una causa importante de daño neurológico permanente es el compromiso cerebrovascular. OBJETIVO: Reportar dos casos pediátricos de SHU+D con compromiso neurológico severo debido a patología cerebrovascular y revisar la literatura disponible. CASOS CLÍNICOS: Dos niños de 15 y 21 meses, previamente sanos, debutaron con convulsiones y compromiso de conciencia dentro de la primera semana de un SHU+D. Ambos presentaron hipertensión, falla renal aguda severa y déficit motor focal. Un niño mejoró significativamente su estado neurológico después de cinco sesiones de plasmaféresis. La resonancia magnética encefálica, mostró en el primer niño infartos bilaterales múltiples de vasos pequeños y lesiones de sustancia blanca. En el segundo paciente se identificaron extensos infartos bilaterales en territorios de ambas arterias cerebrales medias. Al año del evento agudo, ambos niños con déficit funcional marcado; el primer paciente evolucionó con retraso del desarrollo del lenguaje y hemiparesia espástica; el segundo persistió con cuadriparesia espástica, epilepsia con mal control de crisis y marcado deterioro funcional. CONCLUSIÓN: Aunque la mayoría de los niños con SHU+D y compromiso cerebral no presentan secuelas a largo plazo, la patología cerebrovascular en el período agudo puede causar daño permanente, por lo que, además del manejo de las alteraciones hidroelectrolíticas, hipertensión y falla renal, las terapias dirigidas a mecanismos fisiopatológicos específicos desencadenantes del compromiso vascular podrían mejorar el pronóstico.

Diarrhea-associated Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (D+HUS) is a multisystem disorder in which neurological involvement (35 to 50%) is associated to adverse outcome. An important cause of a permanent neurological impairment is the cerebrovascular pathology. OBJECTIVE: To report two pediatric cases of D+HUS with severe neurological involvement due to cerebrovascular disease, and review available literature. CLINICAL CASES: Two previously healthy 15- and 21-month-old children debuted with seizures and impairment of consciousness within the first week of a D+HUS. Both presented hypertension, severe acute renal failure, and focal motor deficit. One child showed significant improvement in neurologic status after five sessions of plasmapheresis. Brain magnetic resonance showed in the first child multiple bilateral infarcts of small vessels and lesions of white matter. In the second patient, large bilateral infarcts on both middle cerebral arteries territories were identified. One year after the acute event, both children showed functional impairment; The first patient evolved with language delay and spastic hemiparesis; the second patient with spastic quadriparesis, epilepsy with poor seizure control and marked functional impairment. CONCLUSION: Although most of the children with D+HUS and brain involvement do not have long-term sequelae, cerebrovascular disease in the acute period causes permanent damage, and in addition to the management of electrolyte disturbances, hypertension, and renal failure, therapies directed at specific pathophysiological mechanisms that trigger vascular compromise may improve prognosis.

Imaging-Based Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients: Current Neuroradiological Perspectives

Advances in imaging-based management of acute ischemic stroke now provide crucial information such as infarct core, ischemic penumbra/degree of collaterals, vessel occlusion, and thrombus that helps in the selection of the best candidates for reperfusion therapy. It also predicts thrombolytic efficacy and benefit or potential hazards from therapy. Thus, radiologists should be familiar with various imaging studies for patients with acute ischemic stroke and the applicability to clinical trials. This helps radiologists to obtain optimal rapid imaging as well as its accurate interpretation. This review is focused on imaging studies for acute ischemic stroke, including their roles in recent clinical trials and some guidelines to optimal interpretation.

Reliability of Persian early computed tomography score in patients with brain infarction

The one-third middle cerebral artery [1/3 MCA] method and Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score [ASPECTS] were used to detect significant early ischemic changes on brain computed tomography [CT] of patients with acute stroke. We designed the Persian Early CT Score [PECTS] and compared it with the above systems. The tomograms were chosen from the stroke data bank of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, in 2008. The inclusion criteria were the presence of MCA territory infarction and performance of CT within 6 hours after stroke onset. Axial CTs were performed on a third-generation CT scanner [Siemens, ARTX, Germany]. Section thickness above posterior fossa was 10 mm [130 kV, 150 mAs]. Films were made at window level 35 HU. The brain CTs were scored by four independent radiologists based on the ASPECTS, 1/3 MCA method, and PECTS. The readers were blinded to the clinical information except the symptom side. Cochrane Q and Kappa tests were used for statistical analysis. Twenty four CT scans with sufficient quality were available. The difference in distribution of dichotomized 7 ASPECT scores between the four raters was significant; Q=13.071, df=3, P=0.04. The difference in distribution of dichotomized >1/3 and