Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
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Diabetes is a common cause of small vessel disease leading to stroke and vascular dementia. While the function and structure of large cerebral vessels can be easily studied, the brain's microvasculature remains difficult to assess. Previous studies have demonstrated that structural changes in the retinal vessel architecture predict stroke risk, but these changes occur at late disease stages. ⋯ Subjects with prediabetes and diabetes with impaired cerebral vasoreactivity showed mainly attenuation of the retinal venous flicker response. This is the first study to explore the relationship between retinal and cerebral vascular function in diabetes. Impairment of venous retinal responsiveness may be one of the earliest markers of vascular dysfunction in diabetes possibly indicating subsequent risk of stroke and vascular dementia.
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Administration of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in the computed tomography (CT) scanner has been recently implemented at our institution, as a means to decrease door-to-needle time. This change in protocol provided us a unique opportunity to visualize imaging signs of early recanalization. ⋯ Early recanalization of large-vessel occlusion after intravenous thrombolysis results in unique imaging findings.