Abstract
BACKGROUND: Limited information exists regarding susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) found beyond 24 hours after stroke onset. This study aimed to compare the presence and quantitative measurements of SVS between the large artery arteriosclerosis (LAA) subtype and the cardioembolism (CE) subtype in patients with subacute stroke. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed stroke survivors with the LAA subtype or the CE subtype who had occlusion or severe stenosis of the responsible intracranial large vessel and who had undergone susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) between day 3 and day 14 after stroke onset at Peking University First Hospital from December 2017 to January 2022. Independent reviewers evaluated the presence, location, length, and diameter of SVS. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the presence of SVS and stroke subtype. RESULTS: Among 173 stroke survivors, including 133 with the LAA subtype and 40 with the CE subtype, SVS was found in 95 patients. The presence of SVS was higher in the LAA group than in the CE group (59.4% vs. 40.0%; P=0.031), and this difference remained statistically significant in multivariable analysis [odds ratio (OR) =2.199; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.019-4.745; P=0.045]. The LAA group had a longer SVS than did the CE group (20.7±10.6 vs. 13.8±5.1 mm; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with subacute ischemic stroke caused by intracranial large vessel occlusion (LVO) or severe stenosis, the LAA group had a higher incidence and a longer SVS than did the CE group. This suggests that SVS may have potential value in the etiology diagnosis of patients with subacute stroke.