Magnetic Resonance Angiography and Cisternography fused images in acute ischemic stroke may save time during endovascular procedure revealing vessel anatomy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endovascular treatment (EVT) is a time-dependent procedure that aims to remove the arterial blood flow obstruction in brain vessels in acute ischemic stroke. In our center, the MRI patient selection protocol in acute ischemic stroke is performed with DWI, FLAIR, MR angiography (MRA) and MR cisternography (MRC) sequences. MRA and MRC are promptly and automatically fused in order to have a clear detection of vessel anatomy, before and during EVT. Our study aim is to evaluate if the fusion process between MRA and MRC could be considered time-safe and could influence EVT duration or outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 45 patients were retrospectively selected for the study and divided into 2 groups according to the presence of MRC sequence fused with MRA (Group 1) or not (Group 2 - controls). RESULTS: MRA and MRC fusion was able to depict vessel anatomy in all subjects of Group 1 (22 patients, 12 females; age 75.59 years ± 10.87). Group 1 presented EVT time reduction (p < 0.05;p = 0.040) (51.59 min ± 30.94) when compared to Group 2 (23 patients, 13 females; age 75.04 years ± 12.12) (71.96 min ± 34.55) of 20.37 min average. No differences between groups were detected evaluating: NIHSS at admission (p = 0.49) and discharge (p = 0.67), pre-stroke mRS (p = 0.89), mRS at 90 days (p = 0.62), ASPECT (p = 0.98) and ASPECT-DWI scores (p = 0.93), time from symptom onset to groin puncture (p = 0.80), thromboaspiration vs combined technique (p = 0.67), EVT success (p = 0.63). CONCLUSION: Fusion of MRA and MRC is a safe and promising technique in promptly revealing vascular anatomy beyond vessel obstruction, and can play a role in EVT duration reduction.