Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonic Parametric Perfusion Imaging Detects Dysfunctional Tissue at Risk in Acute MCA Stroke

Abstract

Ultrasonic perfusion imaging predicts size and localization of acute stroke. It is unclear whether irreversibly damaged tissue can be differentiated from tissue at risk. Thirty-four patients (ischemic stroke <12 h) were included (Phase Inversion Harmonic Perfusion Imaging; bolus kinetic; fitted model function). Three patterns of perfusion were defined in 14 prespecified regions of interest (ROI): ‘normal', ‘hypoperfusion', and ‘no perfusion'. Clinical status was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (at baseline and at days 2 to 4). Cranial Computed Tomography (CCT) (days 2 to 4) displayed final infarction. The pattern ‘hypoperfusion’ (ROIs presumably representing tissue at risk) was tested twofold: (i) Functional impairment by correlating their number with baseline NIHSS. (ii) Viability by correlating their recruitment rate to infarction with clinical course (ΔNIHSS days 2 to 4). In addition, various predictive values were assessed. Twenty-seven patients were eligible for analysis. The sum of ROIs with ‘no perfusion’ and ‘hypoperfusion’ correlated highest with baseline NIHSS ( ρ = 0.78, P < 0.001). Recruitment of hypoperfused ROIs to infarction highly correlated with clinical course ( ρ = 0.79, P < 0.001). Clinical course dichotomized the patients into subgroups A ('stable', ΔNIHSS ≥ −3) and B ('improved', ΔNIHSS ≤ −4). In A, sensitivity and specificity for hypo- and nonperfused tissue being eventually infarcted were 96% and 88% positive predictive value, PPV 89%, negative predictive value, NPV 96%). In B, sensitivity and specificity for nonperfused tissue eventually being infarcted were 81% and 99% (PPV 99%, NPV 84%). Different perfusion patterns (hypoperfusion, no perfusion) and dysfunctional but viable tissue at risk can be reliably detected by ultrasonic perfusion imaging. This method may give Supplementary information in cases illegible for perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (PW-MRI).