Evaluation of time-dependent thresholds of cerebral blood flow and transit time during the acute stage of cerebral embolism: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND Neurons within the ischemic penumbra are thought to be in a potentially reversible state of ischemic challenge. One therapeutic approach that is being actively explored is the recovery of function of cells within the ischemic penumbra through endovascular recanalization of cerebral arteries occluded with embolus. The purpose of this study was to determine the time-dependent hemodynamic threshold for the prevention of irreversible ischemia in patients with acutely symptomatic internal and middle cerebral artery (MCA) embolism. METHODS Thirty-six patients admitted within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms of acute cerebral ischemia, due to embolic occlusion of the major trunk of one of the arteries of the anterior cerebral circulation, were studied. On admission, both cerebral blood flow (CBF) and mean transit time (MTT) measurements were obtained following plain computed tomography (CT). All patients were treated by intraarterial administration of urokinase. MTT in the territory of the affected MCA divided by that in the territory of the unaffected MCA was defined as %MTT. RESULTS A significant negative correlation was found between MTT and CBF. In patients with at least 19 mL/100 g/minute CBF and a maximum of 1.6 %MTT, no cortical infarction occurred whether or not recanalization was obtained. Cortical infarction did not appear in patients with 9 mL/100 g/minute residual CBF and infinite %MTT in whom recanalization was achieved within 2 hours of onset, in patients with 13 mL/100 g/minute residual CBF and 3.7 %MTT in whom recanalization was achieved within 2.5 hours of onset, and in patients with 14 mL/100 g/minute residual CBF and 2.8 %MTT in whom recanalization could be achieved within 3.5 hours of onset. CONCLUSIONS CBF and MTT thresholds for conversion of reversible to irreversible ischemia can be rapidly determined by CT-based technologies. This type of information should be clinically relevant to guiding the management of patients with cerebral embolism.