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Published online before print December 17, 2008, doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000340983.00152.69)
© 2009 American Academy of Neurology Yield of combined perfusion and diffusion MR imaging in hemispheric TIAFrom the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford Stroke Center (M.M., J.-M.O., M.G.L., I.E., S.K., G.W.A.), and Department of Radiology, Lucas Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging Center (M.E.M.), Stanford University Medical Center, CA; and California Pacific Medical Center (D.C.T.), Comprehensive Stroke Care Center and Center for Stroke Research, San Francisco. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Gregory W. Albers, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford Stroke Center, 701 Welch Road, Suite B325, Palo Alto, CA 94304 albers{at}stanford.edu Objective: Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) predict future stroke. However, there are no sensitive and specific diagnostic criteria for TIA and interobserver agreement regarding the diagnosis is poor. Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) demonstrates acute ischemic lesions in approximately 30% of TIA patients; the yield of perfusion-weighted MRI (PWI) is unclear. Methods: We prospectively performed both DWI and PWI within 48 hours of symptom onset in consecutive patients admitted with suspected hemispheric TIAs of <24 hours symptom duration. Two independent raters, blinded to clinical features, assessed the presence and location of acute DWI and PWI lesions. Lesions were correlated with suspected clinical localization and baseline characteristics. Clinical features predictive of a PWI lesion were assessed. Results: Forty-three patients met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-three percent had a PWI lesion and 35% had a DWI lesion. Seven patients (16%) had both PWI and DWI lesions and 7 (16%) had only PWI lesions. The combined yield for identification of either a PWI or a DWI was 51%. DWI lesions occurred in the clinically suspected hemisphere in 93% of patients; PWI lesions in 86%. PWI lesions occurred more frequently when the MRI was performed within 12 hours of symptom resolution, in patients with symptoms of speech impairment, and among individuals younger than 60 years. Conclusions: The combination of early diffusion-weighted MRI and perfusion-weighted MRI can document the presence of a cerebral ischemic lesion in approximately half of all patients who present with a suspected hemispheric transient ischemic attack (TIA). MRI has the potential to improve the accuracy of TIA diagnosis. ACA = anterior cerebral artery; CI = confidence interval; DWI = diffusion-weighted MRI; ICA = internal carotid artery; MCA = middle cerebral artery; MRA = magnetic resonance angiography; MTT = mean transit time; OR = odds ratios; PCA = posterior cerebral artery; PWI = perfusion-weighted MRI; RR = risk ratios; TIA = transient ischemic attacks; TOAST = Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment.
e-Pub ahead of print on December 17, 2008, at www.neurology.org. The DIAGNOSIS study was funded by the NIH R01 NS34866, Principal Investigator Michael Moseley. Additional funding for this substudy was provided by K24 NS044848, Principal Investigator Gregory W. Albers, and K23 NS051372, Principal Investigator Maarten G. Lansberg. Jean-Marc Olivot received research funding from Philippe Foundation (New York, NY) and Fondation pour la Recherche Medicale (Paris, France). Disclosure: The authors report no disclosures. Received June 30, 2008. Accepted in final form October 7, 2008.
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