Fast magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging of acute human stroke

Acute stroke gave diffusion MRI its first compelling clinical indication by enabling objective diagnosis at the earliest stage through detecting reduced water mobility in hypoxic tissue associated with cytotoxic edema.

“Acute stroke, however, gave diffusion MRI its first compelling clinical indication: it enabled objective diagnosis at the earliest stage by detecting reduced water mobility in hypoxic tissue associated with cytotoxic edema, thereby opening the way to clinical trials for emergency thrombolytic therapies (Chien et al., 1992; Moseley, Cohen, Mintorovitch, et al., 1990; Warach et al., 1992).”

Diffusion-weighted MRI enabled early detection of acute ischemia by revealing tissue injury before it became apparent on conventional structural imaging.

“First, diffusion-weighted MRI enabled the early detection of acute ischemia by revealing tissue injury before it became apparent on conventional structural imaging, thereby supporting timely treatment and improving outcomes for millions of patients worldwide.”

Translation to human patients depended on fast imaging, and EPI methods were decisive in allowing lesions to be detected within a clinically relevant time frame.

“Translation to human patients depended on fast imaging, and EPI methods were decisive in allowing lesions to be detected within a clinically relevant time frame (Warach et al., 1992).”

Diffusion MRI became the imaging signature of early infarction.

“Although the exact mechanisms remained debated, the clinical impact was immediate: diffusion MRI became the imaging signature of early infarction (Chien et al., 1992; Warach et al., 1992), demonstrating the translational value of preclinical MRI.”