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(Stroke. 2005;36:2745.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Research Reports

Detection of Thrombus in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Value of Thin-Section Noncontrast-Computed Tomography

Eung Yeop Kim, MD; Seung-Koo Lee, MD; Dong Joon Kim, MD; Sang-Hyun Suh, MD; Jinna Kim, MD; Ji Hoe Heo, MD Dong Ik Kim, MD

From the Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiologic Science (E.Y.K., S.-K.L., D.J.K., S.-H.S., J.K., D.I.K.) and the Department of Neurology (J.H.H.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background and Purpose— Previous studies on the hyperdense middle cerebral artery (MCA) sign were conducted using 5-mm thickness noncontrast-computed tomography (NCT). The purpose of this study was to compare thin-section NCT with 5-mm NCT in the detection of thrombus in acute ischemic stroke.

Methods— Enrolled were consecutive 51 patients with acute infarction in the anterior or MCA territory. All patients underwent both 5-mm NCT and either 1.25- or 1-mm thin-section helical NCT within 6 hours of symptom onset. Patients were assigned to either the single or multisegmental occlusion group, depending on the thrombus extent on thin-section NCT. Thin-section NCT and 5-mm NCT were compared in the detection of thrombi.

Results— Thrombi were identified in 45 patients (88%) on thin-section NCT and 16 on 5-mm NCT (31%; P<0.001). No occlusion was seen in 6 patients. Both sensitivity and specificity of thin-section NCT in detection of thrombus were 100%.

Conclusions— Acute thrombus can be detected with higher sensitivity on thin-section NCT than on 5-mm NCT, and its extent is more accurately determined on thin-section NCT.

Key Words: acute stroke • cerebral infarct • neuroradiology • thrombosis

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