ASSESSMENT OF BRAIN PERFUSION WITH MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND ITS APPLICATION IN ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with a particular emphasis on various MRI sequences, in the identification and control of acute ischemic cerebral stroke. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was employed on the patients who had been clinically diagnosed with acute stroke at Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner. The study included patients of all age groups and sexes. All patients with acute stroke were evaluated on the basis of history and clinical examinations. A 3 Tesla GE SIGNA Architect machine was used to do MRI scans, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and conventional sequences, to determine the presence of acute infarcts. Results: The majority of patients were from rural areas, and there was a notable male predominance (male-to-female ratio of 8.06:1). DWI outperformed conventional MRI sequences in terms of sensitivity for detecting acute infarcts; DWI hyperintensity with corresponding apparent diffusion coefficient hypointensity was observed in all 31 cases of acute infarcts, while conventional sequences detected altered signal intensities in only 58.06% of cases. Conclusion: MRI is a powerful way of assessing the macroscopic and microscopic aspects of brain vascularization. The combination of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), DWI, and perfusion imaging is probably the best way to select patients for thrombolytic therapy. Further work is needed to improve the accuracy of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume measurements and to develop a multivariate model integrating MRA, DWI, perfusion imaging, and clinical data to enhance stroke therapy strategies.