Analysis of the correlation between deep medullary veins and clinical prognosis of middle cerebral artery stroke

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relativity between the distribution of deep medullary vein (DMV) in patients with middle cerebral artery stroke and clinical prognosis by using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). Methods: A total of 144 cases of middle cerebral artery stroke patients and 55 healthy volunteers were retrospectively analyzed from January 2015 to October 2015 in order to investigate the symmetrical characteristic and the classification of DMV, then 30 cases were followed up. Kappa test was used to consider the consistency of judging DMV symmetry and type data by two radiologists. Results:Kappa value in DMV symmetry and DMV type were 0.875 and 0.852. Chi-square test analysis revealed a statistically significant difference of DMV symmetry between healthy control and stroke group(χ(2)=31.046, P=0.000). There was correlation between DMV type and NIHSS score in stroke group (r(s)=0.208, P=0.025). There was no statistically significant difference of DMV distribution in the different periods of stroke group (P=0.110). But there was statistically significant difference of DMV distribution between acute and chronic stroke (P=0.018). Among 30 follow-up cases, 18 cases with asymmetry DMV changed into symmetry after stroke therapy. In 8 cases with symmetry DMV, the diameter of DMV became smaller after treatment. In 4 cases, DMV had no changes. Conclusions: DMV in patients of MCA stroke are mostly asymmetry distribution. DMV classification can be used as an imaging standard to predict the prognosis of stroke patients.