FLAIR vascular hyperintensity-DWI mismatch most likely to benefit from recanalization and good outcome after stroke

We assessed the value of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensity (FVH)-diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) mismatch in predicting revascularization and functional outcome in stroke patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Seventy-two acute stroke patients within 6 hour of stroke onset who received EVT were enrolled. FVH-DWI mismatch, revascularization (mTICI score), functional outcome (mRS at 3 months) and other clinical data were collected. Statistical analysis was performed to predict revascularization and functional outcome after stroke. Twenty-nine patients (60.42%) had FVH-DWI mismatch in patients with complete revascularization and 8 patients (33.33%) had FVH-DWI mismatch in patients with no/partial revascularization, and there was significant difference in 2 groups (t = 4.698; P = .045). The good functional outcome group (37/72; 51.39%) had higher FVH score (4.38 ± 1.53 vs 3.49 ± 1.52; t = 2.478; P = .016), higher FVH-DWI mismatch ratio (81.25% vs 48.15%; t = 10.862; P = .002), higher complete revascularization ratio (83.78% vs 48.57%; t = 10.036; P = .002) than the poor functional outcome group (35/72; 48.61%). Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed that FVH-DWI mismatch was positively correlated with complete revascularization (r = 0.255; P = .030) and good functional outcome (r = 0.417; P = .000). Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that FVH-DWI mismatch was independently associated with complete revascularization (OR, 0.328; 95% CI, 0.117–0.915; P = .033) and good functional outcome (OR, 0.169; 95% CI, 0.061–0.468; P = .001). Assessments of FVH-DWI mismatch before thrombectomy therapy might be useful for predicting revascularization and functional outcome in stroke patients with LVO.