A Study on Relationship of Hounsfield Units Value on Non-contrast Computer Tomography and Recanalization of Intravenous Thrombolysis

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine whether the administration of intravenous alteplase would be beneficial or futile to patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by large vessel occlusion (LVO) before endovascular treatment (EVT) and determine the relationship between Hounsfield units (HU) in non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) and recanalization by alteplase. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by LVO who received intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) or followed by EVT at our center during November 2016 and October 2020. The clinical characteristics and imaging features of patients who achieved recanalization after IVT, and those who did not, were compared. RESULTS: Forty-three eligible patients were enrolled; 12 achieved recanalization by IVT. Baseline clinical characteristics did not differ between patients of the recanalization and non-recanalization groups. HU in the NCCT were estimated and statistically significant maximum and mean values of the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) were found between the groups (P< 0.05). The results hint that patients in the non-recanalization group have a higher rHU and δHU value of the ipsilateral MCA compared with recanalization group (P< 0.05). With regards to the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve, we demonstrated that a high HU value of the ipsilateral MCA could be a predictor for non-recanalization by IVT. CONCLUSION: Patients suffering LVO stroke are less likely to obtain recanalization by IVT with a high HU value of the ipsilateral MCA. It is feasible to screen patients with LVO using HU for direct EVT.