Hyperintense Acute Reperfusion Marker on FLAIR in a Patient with Transient Ischemic Attack

The hyperintense acute reperfusion marker (HARM) has initially been described in acute ischemic stroke. The phenomenon is caused by blood-brain barrier disruption following acute reperfusion and consecutive delayed gadolinium enhancement in the subarachnoid space on fluid attenuated inversion recove...

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Main Authors: Alex Förster, Holger Wenz, Christoph Groden
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Radiology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/9829823
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author Alex Förster
Holger Wenz
Christoph Groden
author_facet Alex Förster
Holger Wenz
Christoph Groden
author_sort Alex Förster
collection DOAJ
description The hyperintense acute reperfusion marker (HARM) has initially been described in acute ischemic stroke. The phenomenon is caused by blood-brain barrier disruption following acute reperfusion and consecutive delayed gadolinium enhancement in the subarachnoid space on fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. Here we report the case of an 80-year-old man who presented with transient paresis and sensory loss in the right arm. Initial routine stroke MRI including diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging demonstrated no acute pathology. Follow-up MRI after three hours demonstrated subarachnoid gadolinium enhancement in the left middle cerebral artery territory consistent with HARM that completely resolved on follow-up MRI three days later. This case illustrates that even in transient ischemic attack patients disturbances of the blood-brain barrier may be present which significantly exceed the extent of acute ischemic lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging. Inclusion of FLAIR images with delayed acquisition after intravenous contrast agent application in MRI stroke protocols might facilitate the diagnosis of a recent acute ischemic stroke.
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spelling doaj-art-64010ca2be104f3fbaee4d6356e15bbd2025-08-20T02:23:53ZengWileyCase Reports in Radiology2090-68622090-68702016-01-01201610.1155/2016/98298239829823Hyperintense Acute Reperfusion Marker on FLAIR in a Patient with Transient Ischemic AttackAlex Förster0Holger Wenz1Christoph Groden2Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, GermanyDepartment of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, GermanyDepartment of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, GermanyThe hyperintense acute reperfusion marker (HARM) has initially been described in acute ischemic stroke. The phenomenon is caused by blood-brain barrier disruption following acute reperfusion and consecutive delayed gadolinium enhancement in the subarachnoid space on fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. Here we report the case of an 80-year-old man who presented with transient paresis and sensory loss in the right arm. Initial routine stroke MRI including diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging demonstrated no acute pathology. Follow-up MRI after three hours demonstrated subarachnoid gadolinium enhancement in the left middle cerebral artery territory consistent with HARM that completely resolved on follow-up MRI three days later. This case illustrates that even in transient ischemic attack patients disturbances of the blood-brain barrier may be present which significantly exceed the extent of acute ischemic lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging. Inclusion of FLAIR images with delayed acquisition after intravenous contrast agent application in MRI stroke protocols might facilitate the diagnosis of a recent acute ischemic stroke.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/9829823
spellingShingle Alex Förster
Holger Wenz
Christoph Groden
Hyperintense Acute Reperfusion Marker on FLAIR in a Patient with Transient Ischemic Attack
Case Reports in Radiology
title Hyperintense Acute Reperfusion Marker on FLAIR in a Patient with Transient Ischemic Attack
title_full Hyperintense Acute Reperfusion Marker on FLAIR in a Patient with Transient Ischemic Attack
title_fullStr Hyperintense Acute Reperfusion Marker on FLAIR in a Patient with Transient Ischemic Attack
title_full_unstemmed Hyperintense Acute Reperfusion Marker on FLAIR in a Patient with Transient Ischemic Attack
title_short Hyperintense Acute Reperfusion Marker on FLAIR in a Patient with Transient Ischemic Attack
title_sort hyperintense acute reperfusion marker on flair in a patient with transient ischemic attack
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/9829823
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