The Course of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Values following Perinatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND: Diffusion weighted MR imaging (DWI) plays an important role in the diagnosis of perinatal arterial ischemic stroke (PAIS) during the acute phase. Its derived apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) can be used to quantify the diffusion restriction. Aim of the current study was to identify the changes in ADC values in the acute phase following PAIS. METHODS: A cohort of 36 infants with a confirmed PAIS who were examined once during the first ten days of life was studied. ADC values in the core of the ischemic tissue (iADC) were determined and correlated with postnatal age. ADC ratios (rADC) were calculated by dividing the iADC value by the ADC value of the corresponding area in the contralateral ‘healthy’ hemisphere. RESULTS: Infants were scanned between days two and ten. A non-linear increase in iADC and rADC values was observed over time and large middle cerebral artery strokes resulted in lower iADC and rADC values. Normalisation of rADC values was observed after day seven. rADC values were lower when compared to previously published rADC values of infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, suggesting more severe injury. CONCLUSIONS: Following PAIS, DWI showed decreased ADC values with a non-linear increase during the first week, and pseudonormalization after day 7, which limits the use of DWI to assess PAIS to the first week. Compared to previous studies, ADC values were lower when compared to infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, most likely due to more severe injury.