• Eung Yeop Kim, Seung-Koo Lee, Dong Joon Kim, Sang-Hyun Suh, Jinna Kim, Ji Hoe Heo, and Dong Ik Kim.
• Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiologic Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
• Stroke. 2005 Dec 1;36(12):2745-7.

Background And PurposePrevious studies on the hyperdense middle cerebral artery (MCA) sign were conducted using > or =5-mm thickness noncontrast-computed tomography (NCT). The purpose of this study was to compare thin-section NCT with 5-mm NCT in the detection of thrombus in acute ischemic stroke.MethodsEnrolled were consecutive 51 patients with acute infarction in the anterior or MCA territory. All patients underwent both 5-mm NCT and either 1.25- or 1-mm thin-section helical NCT within 6 hours of symptom onset. Patients were assigned to either the single or multisegmental occlusion group, depending on the thrombus extent on thin-section NCT. Thin-section NCT and 5-mm NCT were compared in the detection of thrombi.ResultsThrombi were identified in 45 patients (88%) on thin-section NCT and 16 on 5-mm NCT (31%; P<0.001). No occlusion was seen in 6 patients. Both sensitivity and specificity of thin-section NCT in detection of thrombus were 100%.ConclusionsAcute thrombus can be detected with higher sensitivity on thin-section NCT than on 5-mm NCT, and its extent is more accurately determined on thin-section NCT.

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