Automated CT Perfusion Prediction of Large Vessel Acute Stroke from Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease.

Background and Purpose: We have observed that large vessel occlusion acute strokes (LVOS) due to intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) present with more benign CT perfusion (CTP) profiles, which we presume to potentially represent enhanced collateralization compared to embolic LVOS. We aim to determine if CTP profiles can predict ICAD in LVOS.

Methods: Retrospective review of a prospectively collected interventional stroke database from September 2010 to March 2015. Patients with intracranial ICA/MCA-M1/M2 occlusions and CTP were dichotomized into ICAD versus non-ICAD etiologies. Ischemic core (relative cerebral blood flow < 30%) and hypoperfusion volumes were estimated by automated CTP.

Results: A total of 250 patients met the inclusion criteria, comprised of 21 (8%) ICAD and 229 non-ICAD etiologies. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, except for higher HbA1c levels ( p < 0.01), LDL cholesterol ( p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure ( p < 0.01), and lower rate of atrial fibrillation ( p < 0.01) in ICAD patients. There were no significant differences in volumes of baseline ischemic core ( p = 0.54) among groups. ICAD patients had smaller Tmax > 4 s, Tmax > 6 s, and Tmax > 10 s absolute lesions, and a higher ratio of Tmax > 4 s/Tmax > 6 s volumes (median 2 [1.6-2.3] vs. 1.6 [1.4-2.0]; p = 0.02). A Tmax > 4 s/Tmax > 6 s ratio ≥2 showed specificity = 73%/sensitivity = 52% for ICAD and was observed in 47.6% of ICAD versus 26.1% of non-ICAD patients ( p = 0.07). Clinical outcomes were comparable amongst groups. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that Tmax > 4 s/Tmax > 6 s ratio ≥2 (OR 3.75, 95% CI 1.05-13.14, p = 0.04), higher LDL cholesterol (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.01-1.03, p = 0.01), and higher systolic pressure (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04, p = 0.01) were independently associated with ICAD.

Conclusion: An automated CTP Tmax > 4 s/Tmax > 6 s ratio ≥2 profile was found independently associated with underlying ICAD LVOS.