Investigation of the relationship between findings detected in cranial MRI SWI and FLAIR sequences and infarct area and clinical prognosis in patients diagnosed with acute middle cerebral artery infarction

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of combined Susceptibility Weighted Imaging (SWI) and Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) sequences in acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction, focusing on their correlation with infarct area and clinical outcomes.Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 44 patients diagnosed with acute MCA infarction who underwent MRI (SWI, FLAIR, and TOF-MRA sequences) between January 2016 and January 2017.Imaging findings, including susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) on SWI and hyperintense vessel sign (HVS) on FLAIR, were analyzed alongside infarct volume (ASPECT score) and clinical outcomes (NIHSS scores).Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 15.0.Results: The co-presence of SWI SVS and FLAIR HVS was associated with significant NIHSS score improvement (ΔNIHSS: 3.20 vs. 0.88; p = 0.026).Thrombus location influenced outcomes, with MCA M2 occlusions showing larger infarct volumes but better recovery compared to ICA/MCA occlusions (p = 0.007).FLAIR HVS alone predicted neurological improvement (p = 0.043), while neither marker correlated with infarct expansion.Conclusion: Combined SWI and FLAIR findings serve as effective prognostic biomarkers when used together, identifying patients with favorable collateral circulation and clinical recovery.The moderate sensitivity of SWI SVS (52%) is enhanced through combination with FLAIR HVS, demonstrating the value of multimodal assessment.Thrombus location significantly impacts outcomes, underscoring the need for tailored therapeutic strategies.