Characterisation of the penumbra in paediatric arterial ischaemic stroke.

Abstract

Stroke is among the top 10 causes of death in the paediatric population, with arterial ischaemic stroke (PAIS) accounting for the majority of cases. CT is the standard diagnostic imaging modality in adults presenting with focal neurological deficits, based on a high a-priori probability of stroke. In children, there are much higher rates of mimics, therefore, MRI is preferred given its higher sensitivity in detecting acute ischaemia. MR diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) are used to detect the presence of cerebral ischaemia and hypoperfusion in acute stroke. The mismatched volume between PWI and DWI lesions is thought to represent “penumbra”, the tissue at..