Resting-State BOLD MRI for Perfusion and Ischemia.

Advanced imaging techniques including computed tomography (CT) angiography, CT perfusion, magnetic resonance (MR) angiography, MR with diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging, and, more recently, resting-state BOLD (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent) functional MRI (rs-fMRI) are increasingly used to evaluate patients with acute ischemic stroke. Advanced imaging allows for identification of patients with ischemic stroke and determination of the size of infarcted and potentially salvageable tissue, all of which yield crucial information for proper stroke management. The addition of rs-fMRI for ischemia adds information at the microvascular level, thereby improving the understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms of impaired cerebral perfusion and tissue oxygenation beyond the known concepts at the macrovascular level. As such, it may further delineate functional and dysfunctional neuronal networks, guide stroke interventions, and improve prognosis and monitoring of patient outcomes.