Cerebrovascular diseases
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2016
Comparative StudyMulti-Contrast High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Findings of Spontaneous and Unruptured Intracranial Vertebral Artery Dissection: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis According to Stages.
Although high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) has been used as a strong imaging method for diagnosing intracranial vertebral artery dissection (IVAD), the diagnosis is sometimes challenging because a dissection has geometric changes in the natural course. The radiologic features may change or disappear over time, which makes the diagnosis confusing. Our study was to present radiological findings according to the stages in spontaneous and unruptured, IVAD on 3T HR-MRI and to guide the age estimation of IVAD with the distinguishing findings according to the stages. ⋯ The 3T HR-MRI reveals the vessel wall characteristics and provides distinguishing findings between earlier stages and the chronic stage in spontaneous and unruptured IVAD. Characterization of these radiological findings according to stages may assist with the age estimation of the dissection and may help to understand IVAD as a whole.
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2016
Observational StudyStroke Mimics in a Stroke Care Pathway Based on MRI Screening.
Since the use of tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke (IS), stroke care pathways have been developed for patients with suspicion of acute stroke. The aim of this prospective observational study was to analyze the stroke mimic (SM) characteristics in patients who were part of our stroke care pathway. ⋯ A rate of SM up to 38% of the code stroke system confirms the difficulty to distinguish clinically a stroke from another diagnosis. In this study, using cerebral MRI in first intention was of special interest in patients with acute neurological symptoms to differentiate an NVD from an SM.
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2016
Determinants and Prognostic Significance of Hematoma Sedimentation Levels in Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage.
This study aimed at identifying the determinants and prognostic significance of a sedimentation level (fluid-blood level) in the hematoma among patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) who participated in the main Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction in Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage Trial (INTERACT2). ⋯ The presence of hematoma sedimentation level on baseline CT is associated with warfarin use and lobar location of ICH, and predicts a worse outcome. Although uncommon, sedimentation level is an easily detectable prognostic factor in acute ICH.
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2016
Observational StudyIschemic Stroke with Troponin Elevation: Patient Characteristics, Resource Utilization, and In-Hospital Outcomes.
Among patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke, abnormal serum troponins are associated with higher risk of short-term mortality. However, most findings have been reported from European hospitals. Whether troponin elevation after stroke is independently associated with death among a more heterogeneous US population remains unclear. Furthermore, only a few studies have evaluated the association between the magnitude of troponin elevation and subsequent mortality, patterns of dynamic troponin changes over time, or whether troponin elevation is related to specific causes of death. ⋯ Ischemic stroke patients with abnormal troponin levels are at higher risk of in-hospital death, even after accounting for demographic and clinical characteristics, and any degree of troponin elevation identifies this higher level of risk. Troponins that continue to rise during the hospitalization identify stroke patients at markedly higher risk of mortality, and both neurologic and non-neurologically mediated mortality rates are higher when troponin is elevated.
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2016
Perihematomal Diffusion Restriction in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Depends on Hematoma Volume, But Does Not Predict Outcome.
Perihematomal diffusion restriction (PDR) is a frequent finding in primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) on diffusion-weighted MRI. Its frequency, associated clinical and imaging findings and impact on clinical outcome are not well understood. ⋯ PDR is common after primary ICH within 24 h of symptom onset. Hematoma volume was identified as the key predictor of PDR. Although PDR was associated with mortality and severe disability, this effect was confounded by established risk factors. These results do not support a role of early PDR as prognostic factor after ICH independent of hematoma volume.