Introduction:
Hyperintense acute reperfusion marker (HARM) has been identified on post-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to be a marker of hemorrhagic conversion (HC) post reperfusion therapy in acute stroke patients. We have previously described a case where MRI HARM was mimicked on post contrast computed topography (CT) imaging in an acute stroke patient post reperfusion. Dual-Energy (DECT) allows for differentiation between acute blood and iodine contrast extravasation (ICE), and thus can have utility when ICE is present. Here we sought to validate whether post-intervention ICE/CT hyperdensity reperfusion maker (CT HARM), and contrast subtracted on DECT is associated with HC in acute stroke patients.
Method:
Data was obtained from our Institutional Review Board approved stroke admission database from January 2017 to November 2019, including ischemic stroke patients that received thrombolysis or thrombectomy, had evaluable images within 24 hours of admission, and received a DECT. Ischemic volumes of the stroke was measured on diffusion-weighted image (DWI). ICE was measured on CT head and DECT using the freehand 3D region of interest tool on the Visage Imaging PACS System. Susceptibility weighted MRI sequences were used to grade HC. Data analysis was conducted with regression modeling.
Results:
A total of 82 patients were included, 49% women, median age 73 (interquartile range (IQR), 61- 77), admission NIHSS 12 (IQR, 7 - 21), 24 hour change in NIHSS 4 (IQR, 0 -13), glucose 125 (IQR, 106 -158), creatinine 1.0 (IQR, 0.8 - 1.2), infarct volume 50.6 ± 7.1 mL, 48% treated with thrombectomy, 7% with PH-1 or PH-2 identified on MRI, and 56% with MCA infarcts. ICE volume was 2.6 ± 1.0 mL and DECT volume was 2.2 ± 1.1mL. ICE increased the likelihood of MRI confirmed PH-1 or PH-2 hemorrhagic conversion (odds ratio (OR) 14.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.74 - 22.94) and decreased likelihood of increase in NIHSS at 24 hours (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.40). There were no other significant associations with ICE or DECT volumes.
Conclusion:
Our results are supportive of our proposed association between CT HARM and risk of HC. More studies are needed to study whether quantitative of DECT can be predictive of stroke outcomes post reperfusion therapy.
