Application of Neuroimaging for the Prediction of Hemorrhagic Transformation after Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background: Ischemic stroke is a common cerebrovascular disease with high morbidity, disability, and mortality worldwide. Currently, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator is the main intravenous thrombolysis agent for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke within 4.5 h after onset. Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is the most serious complication of intravenous thrombolysis, which can significantly aggravate clinical poor prognosis. Therefore, it is important to early predict the risk of post-thrombolysis HT in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Summary: Recently, several studies have reported that neuroimaging techniques have potential value in predicting HT after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The corresponding neuroimaging parameters may be effective predictors of HT after intravenous thrombolysis. In this review, we summarized and discussed the application of neuroimaging techniques and related parameters in predicting HT after intravenous thrombolysis.

Key Messages: Recognizing and understanding the predictive performance of neuroimaging parameters for HT may help assess the risk of HT after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke and make an appropriate treatment decision.