Does reversal of ischemia on diffusion-weighted imaging reflect higher apparent diffusion coefficient values?

This study investigated whether ischemia on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) that reverses has higher apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs). A patient treated with thrombolytics was evaluated with serial magnetic resonance imaging studies before treatment, at 3 and 14 days and at 4 weeks. A 100.01-cm ³ left frontoparietal stroke on baseline DWI was only 18.11 cm³ (18%) on 4-week fluid attenuated inversion recovery. The mean ADC was 7.43 x× 10^-3 mm²/s in the 6 regions that reversed and 7.31 x× 10^-3 mm²/s in the 6 regions that persisted (P <. 036). With thrombolytic treatment, large ischemic lesions on DWI may reverse, and these areas display higher mean ADCs.