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The implications of the reversal of DWI abnormalities in patients with TIA and minor strokes were assessed. Patients were imaged within 24 hours of symptoms and followed for 3 months and baseline and final infarct volumes were calculated using DWI and FLAIR, respectively. Over 55% of patients had DWI lesions and 37% had perfusion deficits. DWI reversal occurred in 6% of patients with lesion volume being considerably smaller than in those that did not reverse. Perfusion abnormalities were less common in reversible lesions as well. The authors concluded that DWI lesion reversal is uncommon and more likely with smaller lesions.

The presence of poor leptomeningeal collaterals as assessed by CTA was correlated with patient outcome after receiving intra-arterial treatment for stroke. Functional outcomes in 87 patients with MCA and/or ICA occlusions were retrospectively assessed at 3 months. The authors found that poor arterial collateralization was associated with poor outcome after adjustment for recanalization success. They recommend that future studies include collateral scores as one of the predictors of functional outcome.