Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
-
SARS-CoV-2 causes multiorgan disease due to altered coagulability and microangiopathy. Patients may have an increased risk of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). Our objective was to analyze clinical and neuroimaging characteristics of patients with ischemic CVA during the pandemic peak in our region, in order to identify atypical presentations. ⋯ The COVID-19 group had more in-hospital mortality, less proximal arterial occlusion on CT or MR angiography, and lower baseline modified Rankin Scale score. We suggest a possibly higher proportion of microangiopathic involvement or undetected distal large-vessel occlusion in the COVID-19 stroke group. Excess mortality was explained by severe respiratory failure. Otherwise, stroke patients with COVID-19 did not differ demographically or clinically from those without the illness.
-
The identification of high-risk patent foramen ovale (PFO) is important for selecting suitable patients for PFO closure to prevent recurrent stroke in those with cryptogenic stroke. We aimed to evaluate the predictability of transcranial Doppler (TCD) in diagnosing high-risk PFO compared with that of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), which is not feasible for some stroke patients. ⋯ TCD is a good screening tool for evaluating high-risk PFO. VM is important for the evaluation of PFO. Patients with minimal or no shunt on TCD after VM are unlikely to have high-risk PFO.
-
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we explored cortical activation in patients with acute Bell's palsy (BP) and analyzed its correlates with clinical status in the acute phase, and with 6-month outcome. ⋯ In patients with BP, fMRI may represent a useful tool to predict long-term outcome, guide therapeutic approach, and monitor treatment response.
-
Dynamic susceptibility perfusion MR imaging (DSC MRP) has been used to assess changes in cerebral perfusion attributable to vascular stenosis or occlusion that may predict stroke risk. However, DSC MRP is not validated for identifying hemodynamic compromise in the posterior circulation. We investigated the clinical utility of DSC MRP in vertebrobasilar (VB) atherosclerotic disease in the observational VERiTAS study. ⋯ In this study, we did not find that DSC MRP adequately distinguished between patients with low or normal flow status based on large-vessel flow measurements.
-
This study's aim was to investigate diffusion properties of the cervical spinal cord in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) through analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data and thereby to assess the capacity of this technique for predicting the progression of CIS to clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS). ⋯ This study presents evidence that histogram analysis of diffusion parameters of the cervical spinal cord in patients with CIS may be helpful in predicting conversion to CDMS.