Identification of corticospinal tract lesion for predicting outcome in small perfusion stroke

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Whether patients with small perfusion lesions benefit from thrombolysis remains an uncertainty. We assessed acute ischemic stroke patients with a total perfusion lesion of <15 mL and tested the hypothesis the pattern of corticospinal tract (CST) involvement might predict outcome in thrombolysis-eligible patients. Methods: We used a prospectively collected cohort of acute ischemic stroke patients being assessed for thrombolysis at 7 centers. Three neurologists categorized the presence of hypoperfusion and infarction within CST. Excellent outcome was defined as 90-day modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 1. Results: Of 2654 patients, 407 had a perfusion lesion <15 mL and we..