- Recent Administration of Iodinated Contrast Renders Core Infarct Estimation Inaccurate Using RAPID Software
Patients who received IV iodinated contrast in proximity (<8 hours) to CTA/CTP as part of a separate imaging study had a much higher likelihood of core infarct underestimation with RAPID software compared with contrast-naive patients. Over-reliance on RAPID postprocessing for treatment disposition of patients with extended window emergent large-vessel occlusion should be avoided, particularly in cases with recent IV contrast administration.
- Clinical and Radiologic Findings of Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy in Young Adults
The authors describe 10 patients (16 years of age or older) with acute necrotizing encephalopathy. In their study, bilateral thalamic involvement with the trilaminar pattern of diffusion restriction on MR imaging was the predominant finding seen in all of the patients reviewed. Ancillary findings of cerebral white matter, brain stem, and cerebellum involvement with sparing of the basal ganglia were also seen.
- Characteristics of Large-Vessel Occlusion Associated with COVID-19 and Ischemic Stroke
Consecutive ischemic stroke and TIA admissions (COVID and non-COVID) to the authors' hospital during a 10-week period from March 1 to May 10, 2020 were collected and compared with data from the same time period in 2019. Among 20 patients with COVID-19 and acute ischemic stroke, 15 (75%) had large-vessel occlusion. These patients were young (mean age, 46.5 years), male (93%), without major burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and had a severe stroke presentation. Large vessel occlusions were observed in multiple vessels (40%), uncommonly affected vessels, and atypical locations with a large thrombus burden.