A 3.5-minute ultrafast brain MRI and head MRA protocol for evaluation of acute ischemic stroke in the inpatient setting

Motivation: MRI is more sensitive than CT for diagnosing ischemic stroke, yet its use in the acute setting is limited by acquisition time. Goal(s): To determine the diagnostic performance of an ultrafast 3T brain MRI/head MRA protocol compared to a standard-of-care reference protocol for evaluation of acute ischemic stroke. Approach: Two raters evaluated diagnostic quality and presence of acute and chronic intracranial findings in 12 inpatients imaged with ultrafast and reference protocols. Results: Both raters found the ultrafast protocol was of diagnostic quality. Acute infarction, significant vascular findings, and most chronic findings were equally identified on both ultrafast and reference protocols. Impact: The 3.5-minute ultrafast MR/MRA protocol may improve time to diagnosis and intervention in acute stroke without sacrificing diagnostic quality. It may improve patient throughout and triage in inpatient and emergency settings without compromising diagnosis or patient safety.