Evaluation of infarct core and ischemic penumbra by absolute quantitative cerebral dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion magnetic resonance imaging using self-calibrated echo planar imaging sequencing in patients with acute ischemic stroke

BackgroundIt has been hypothesized that an absolute quantitative dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) cerebral perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) technique based on self-calibrated echo-planar imaging (EPI) could be a reliable measurement of quantitative cerebral blood flow (qCBF) and quantitative cerebral blood volume (qCBV). This study aimed to investigate the clinical value of this technique in offering a unique insight into ischemic stroke (IS) pathophysiology and improving the sensitivity of IS diagnosis. MethodsA total of 14 patients with IS who underwent routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Self-CALibrated EPI Perfusion-Weighted Imaging (SCALE-PWI) scanning were prospectively recruited as a consecutive convenience sample. qCBF and qCBV maps were processed immediately online after the scan. Then, 2 radiologists independently drew the region of interest (ROI) of the infarct core, ischemic penumbra, and the contralateral normal tissues on each map for the statistical analyses. The paired-samples t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, independent-samples t-test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were performed. A value of P