Review of Perfusion Imaging in Acute Ischemic Stroke

P erfusion imaging uses an intravascular tracer and se- rial imaging to quantify blood flow through the brain parenchyma. In acute ischemic stroke, perfusion imaging may increase diagnostic accuracy, aid treatment target identification, and provide prognostic information about functional outcome. 1 Moreover, perfusion imaging can identify patients who benefit from reperfusion beyond the conventional time window or in whom time of symptom onset is unknown. 2-4 Implementation of perfusion imaging in routine acute stroke care allows individualized treatment of stroke patients based on brain tissue status, rather than time-based treatment on the group level.