Patients with acute stroke treated with intravenous tPA 3-6 hours after stroke onset: correlations between MR angiography findings and perfusion- And diffusion-weighted imaging in the DEFUSE study

Abstract

Purpose: To study magnetic resonance (MR) angiography findings in patients with acute stroke treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in relationship to perfusion- and diffusion-weighted imaging changes and clinical outcome. Materials and Methods: Patients treated with intravenous tPA 3- 6 hours after stroke onset (with informed consent) were evaluated in a HIPAA- compliant multicenter prospective study approved by all institutional review boards. MR imaging and MR angiography studies were performed before and 3- 6 hours after treatment. MR angiography studies that were technically adeequate at both time points were evaluated for occlusion, decreased flow, any early recana..