Objective:To explore the characteristics of high-density sign of flat-panel CT (FDCT) after endovascular treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the anterior circulation of large vessels and their relation with hemorrhagic transformation.Methods:Seventy-eight patients with AIS in the anterior circulation of large vessels accepted endovascular treatment in our hospital from March 2018 to June 2019 were chosen in our study. All patients underwent FDCT, and they were grouped according to the presence of local high-density sign and occurrence of hemorrhagic transformation. The baseline and clinical data of patients from high-density sign group and non-high-density sign group, and from hemorrhagic transformation group and non-hemorrhagic transformation group were compared and analyzed. The correlation between high-density sign and hemorrhagic transformation was analyzed. The morphological characteristics and distribution of FDCT high-density sign in patients from high-density sign group were analyzed, and univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to screen the influencing factors for post-operative hemorrhagic transformation in patients from the high-density sign group.Results:(1) The incidence of high-density sign in these patients after endovascular treatment was 41.0% (32/78); as compared with patients in the non-high-density sign group, patients in the high-density sign group had significantly higher rate of hemorrhagic transformation (6.5% vs. 53.1%, P<0.05) and significantly higher 3-month modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores (2.0 [1.0, 3.0] vs. 3.9 [3.0, 5.3], P<0.05). (2) The incidence of hemorrhagic transformation after endovascular treatment was 25.6% (20/78); as compared with those in the non-hemorrhagic transformation group, patients in the hemorrhage transformation group had statistically higher incidence of high-density sign in FDCT (31% vs. 70%, P<0.05); multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that FDCT high density sign was an independent risk factor for hemorrhage transformation after endovascular treatment ( OR=1.823, 95%CI: 1.125-2.358, P=0.000). (3) In the 32 patients with FDCT high-density sign, 4 (12.5%), 13 (40.6%) and 7 (21.9%) had high-density sign in the cortex and subcortex, basal ganglia, and subarachnoid space, whose hemorrhagic transformation incidences were 75% (3/4), 53.8% (7/13), and 57.1% (4/7), respectively, and mean 3-month mRS scores were 4.5, 3.0 and 4.0, respectively; another 8 patients (25%) had endovascular FDCT high-density sign, whose hemorrhagic transformation incidence was 87.5% (7/8), and 3-month mRS scores were ≥4. (4) Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the vascular opening time ≤6 h was a protective factor for hemorrhage transformation in patients with FDCT high-density sign ( OR=0.687, 95%CI: 0.193-0.936, P=0.044). Conclusions:In patients with AIS in the anterior circulation of large vessels accepted endovascular treatment, FDCT high-density sign indicates high risk of hemorrhage transformation and poor prognosis, especially in patients having high-density sign in the cerebral cortex, subcortical area and intravascular area. Minimizing the vascular opening time may reduce the risk of hemorrhagic transformation in patients with FDCT high-density sign.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of endovascular recanalization treatment for acute vertebral basilar artery occlusion (AVBAO) underlying intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) using a balloon-mounted stent.Methods:A total of 16 cases of consecutive AVBAO patients who underwent endovascular treatment with the balloon-mounted stent within 24 h after onset were retrospectively enrolled in Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from February 2017 to August 2019. And the recanalization rate, operation-related complications, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, the improvement of 1 week National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and 3 months modified Rankin Scale (mRS) after treatment were recorded.Results:In all of the 16 patients, 4 patients underwent direct stenting angioplasty, 12 patients received salvage stenting. Stent placement was successful in all 16 patients. Balloon-mounted stent were implanted in basilar artery of 4 cases, in intracranial segment of vertebral artery of 8 cases, and in origination segment of vertebral artery of 4 cases. Recanalization was successful (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2b and 3) in 15 patients. The time between arterial puncture and recanalization was 79.0 (72.3, 109.3) min. One patient experienced distal thrombosis during surgery. Two patients suffered symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 48 h after surgery. The scores of the NIHSS were improved more than 4 points at 1 week after operation in 8 patients. At 3 months follow-up, 9 patients had a good outcome (mRS 0-3 points) and 4 patients died.Conclusion:Selective stenting angioplasty treatment with a balloon-mounted stent seems to be feasible and safe for AVBAO patients underlying ICAD.