ADC-values for prediction of postischaemic secondary cerebral haemorrhage

Introduction: Secondary haemorrhagic transformation (HT) and especially symptomatic haemorrhage is a major concern in stroke management. Haemorrhage within the infarcted area occurs both as a spontaneous event, with a peak occurrence during the first week after stroke, and, with an apparent higher frequency, in patients receiving thrombolytic therapy. Previous studies suggest that early MR-imaging within the first hours of stroke onset can identify patients who are at a greater risk to develop a secondary haemorrhagic transformation by analyzing the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). It has been suggested tha…