In this multicenter retrospective study of 655 patients with acute ischemic stroke, nearly one in five patients presenting with mild symptoms (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤5) had significant perfusion-defined tissue at risk (time-to-maximum delay ≥6 seconds volume ≥15 mL) on computed tomography perfusion imaging, which was associated with worse 90-day functional outcomes. These findings suggest that reliance on clinical severity alone may underestimate ischemic burden and support the integration of perfusion imaging into acute stroke triage to better identify candidates for reperfusion therapy.

Source: Neurological Research and Practice