Fully automated quantification of net water uptake in acute ischemic stroke using only non-contrast CT imaging

Question Current approaches for quantifying early lesion progression in ischemic stroke rely on manual imaging-based NWU estimation, underscoring the need for an automated and reproducible method. Findings The method achieved high lesion detection accuracy and reliable net water uptake estimation, demonstrating its potential as a tool for automated stroke assessment. Clinical relevance This study presents an automated NCCT-based method for stroke assessment that enables net water uptake estimation directly from routinely acquired scans. The approach provides an interpretable alternative to methods requiring multimodal imaging, supporting broader clinical applicability.