Detection of early vessel leakiness in acute ischemic stroke using computed tomography perfusion may indicate hemorrhagic transformation.

This short communication presents significantly increased permeability in two patients with acute stroke, indicating an early blood-brain barrier disruption. Neither of the patients had undergone any thrombolytic therapy and hemorrhaged later. Increased permeability was assessed in both patients using a distributed-parameter model of capillary-tissue exchange. Our findings indicate that early physiologic imaging in stroke may identify patients with a high risk of hemorrhagic transformation by revealing pathologic vascular changes and, thus, guide therapeutic options.