Three-dimensional vessel wall imaging with 1.5-T MRI to visualize invisible occluded cerebral artery.

Background: Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is performed for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by large vessel occlusion; therefore, preoperative visualization of the occluded invisible vessel course reduces complications and ensures success. Three-dimensional (3D) proton density-weighted (PDW) vessel wall imaging (VWI) using variable refocusing flip angle pulse-turbo spin-echo sequences (VRFA-TSE) with 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide this information.

Three-dimensional vessel wall MRI to characterize thrombus prior to endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke.

Background And Purpose: Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by large vessel occlusion requires rapid and reliable imaging of the vessel course including the clot to reduce complications and ensure success. However, no method to acquire this information has been established.

Methods: Six consecutive patients with AIS caused by large vessel occlusion underwent EVT in our institute.