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Background and PurposeThe benefit of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) and baseline mild neurological symptoms remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of MT in this subgroup of patients.MethodsThe databases of 9 high-volume Italian stroke centers were retrospectively screened for patients with LVO in the anterior circulation and a baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≤ 5 that received either immediate MT or best medical management (BMM) with the possibility of rescue MT upon neurological worsening. Primary outcome measure was a modified Rankin Scale score of 0–1 at 90 days. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to estimate the treatment effect of immediate MT compared to BMM/rescue MT.ResultsTwo hundred and seventy-two patients received immediate MT (MT group). The BMM/rescue MT group included 41 patients. The primary outcome was achieved in 78.6% (n = 246) of overall patients, with a higher proportion in the MT group (80.5% vs. 65.9%, p = 0.03) in unadjusted analysis. After PSM, patients in the MT group had a 19.5% higher chance of excellent outcome at 90 days compared to the BMM/Rescue MT group with a similar risk of death from any cause.ConclusionsOur experience is in favor of a potential benefit of MT also in patients with LVO and a NIHSS score ≤ 5 at the time of groin puncture. Nonetheless, this issue waits for a clear-cut recommendation in a dedicated clinical trial.

BackgroundData about the safety and the efficacy of flow diversion for distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) aneurysms are limited. We present the largest multicenter analysis evaluating the outcomes of flow diversion in unruptured DACA aneurysm treatment.MethodsDatabases from 39 centers were retrospectively reviewed for unruptured DACA aneurysms treated with flow-diverting stents. Demographics, clinical presentation, radiographic characteristics, procedural complications, and outcomes were assessed.ResultsA total of 168 patients with 168 unruptured DACA aneurysms were treated between January 2018 and December 2022. One hundred and twenty-five were women (74.4%) and the median age was 61 (IQR 52–67) years. The most common morphology was saccular (91.7%), with branch involvement in 61.9% of cases. Median parent vessel diameter was 1.9 mm (IQR 1.7–2.2) and stents were successfully deployed in 99.4% of cases. In 96.4% a single stent was implanted, while 3.6% of cases required two stents. Median imaging follow-up was 16.5 (IQR 7–24) months. At last follow-up the rate of occlusion (O’Kelly–Marotta scale C or D) was 82.1%. Symptomatic thromboembolic or hemorrhagic complications occurred in 5.3% of patients and the mortality rate was 0.6%. The rate of retreatment was 1.2%.ConclusionsFlow-diverting stents are a reasonably safe and effective treatment option for unruptured DACA aneurysms.

BackgroundThe Careggi Collateral Score (CCS) (qualitative–quantitative evaluation) was developed from a single-centre cohort as an angiographic score to describe both the extension and effectiveness of the pial collateral circulation in stroke patients with occlusion of the anterior circulation. We aimed to examine the association between CCS (quantitative evaluation) and 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score in a large multi-center cohort of patients receiving thrombectomy for stroke with occlusion of middle cerebral artery (MCA).MethodsWe conducted a study on prospectively collected data from 1284 patients enrolled in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke. According to the extension of the retrograde reperfusion in the cortical anterior cerebral artery (ACA)-MCA territories, CCS ranges from 0 (absence of retrograde filling) to 4 (visualization of collaterals until the alar segment of the MCA).ResultsUsing CCS of 4 as reference, CCS grades were associated in the direction of unfavourable outcome on 3-month mRS shift (0 to 6); significant difference was found between CCS of 0 and CCS of 1 and between CCS of 3 and CCS of 4. CCS ≥ 3 was the optimal cut-off for predicting 3-month excellent outcome, while CCS ≥ 1 was the optimal cut-off for predicting 3-month survival. CCS of 0 and CCS < 3 were associated in the direction of unfavourable recanalization on TICI shift (0 to 3) compared with CCS ≥ 1 and CCS ≥ 3, respectively. Compared with CCS ≥ 3 as reference, CCS of 0 and CCS 1 to 2 were associated in the direction of unfavourable recanalization on TICI shift. There was no evidence of heterogeneity of effects of successful recanalization and procedure time ≤ 60 min on 3-month mRS shift across CCS categories.ConclusionThe CCS could provide a future advantage for improving the prognosis in patients receiving thrombectomy for stroke with M1 or M1–M2 segment of the MCA occlusion.

This short review has the aim of helping the radiologist to identify medical devices when interpreting a chest X-ray, as well as looking for their most commonly detectable complications. Nowadays, many different medical devices are used, often together, especially in critical patients. It is important for the radiologist to know what to look for and to remember the technical factors that need to be considered when checking each device’s positioning.

Background/Objectives: The 2021 WHO Classification of Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors emphasizes the integration of molecular data with histopathological features. Lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with variable clinical behavior. This study aimed to explore the molecular landscape of a single-institution series of LGGs using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). Methods: Eleven adult patients diagnosed with LGG between 2015 and 2024 at Cattinara University Hospital (Trieste, Italy) were retrospectively analyzed. DNA and RNA were extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue and analyzed using the TruSight Oncology 500 panel (Illumina). Mutational, amplification, and transcriptomic profiles were evaluated. Results: IDH1 mutations were the most frequent alteration (75%), commonly co-occurring with TP53 and ATRX mutations, consistent with the canonical IDH-mutant astrocytoma profile. CDK4 amplification was found in four cases, while MYCN amplification and MET amplification were each identified in isolated cases. Two diffuse IDH-wild-type gliomas displayed aggressive clinical courses and shorter survival, and one was reclassified as glioblastoma (grade 4) based on EGFR amplification. The transcriptome analysis revealed heterogeneous expression signatures and distinct clustering of IDH1/ATRX-mutant tumors. Conclusions: Targeted NGS confirmed the key molecular features of diffuse gliomas and enabled precise WHO 2021 classification even in archival FFPE samples. Despite the exploratory nature of the analysis on a small population, the study underscores the biological and transcriptional heterogeneity of LGGs and highlights the limitations of tumor-only sequencing approaches. Broader genomic profiling and matched normal controls are warranted to refine the interpretation of rare or non-canonical variants.

BackgroundCurrent clinical decision tools for assessing the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) in patients with vertebrobasilar artery occlusion (VBAO) who received endovascular treatment (EVT) have limited performance. This study develops and validates a clinical risk score to precisely estimate the risk of sICH in VBAO patients.MethodsThe derivation cohort recruited patients with VBAO who received EVT from the Posterior Circulation IschemIc Stroke Registry in China. Based on the posterior circulation-Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (pc-ASPECTS) evaluation method, the cohort was further divided into non-contrast CT (NCCT) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) cohorts to construct predictive models. sICH was diagnosed according to the Heidelberg Bleeding Classification within 48 hours of EVT. Clinical signature was constructed in the derivation cohort using machine learning and was validated in two additional cohorts from Asia and Europe.ResultsWe enrolled 1843 patients who underwent EVT and had complete data. pc-ASPECTS of 1710 patients was evaluated on NCCT and 699 patients on DWI. In the NCCT cohort, 1364 individuals made up the training set, of whom 101 (7.4%) developed sICH. In the DWI cohort, the training set consisted of 560 individuals, with 44 (7.9%) experiencing sICH. Predictors of sICH were: glucose, pc-ASPECTS, time from estimated occlusion to groin puncture (EOT), poor collateral circulation, and modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) score. From these predictors, we derived the weighted poor collateral circulation-EOT-pc-ASPECTS-mTICI-glucose (PEACE) score. The PEACE score showed good discrimination in the training set (area under the curve (AUC)NCCT=0.85; AUCDWI=0.86), internal validation set (AUCNCCT=0.81; AUCDWI=0.82), and two additional external validation set (Asia: AUCNCCT=0.78, AUCDWI=0.80; Europe: AUCNCCT=0.74, AUCDWI=0.78).ConclusionThe PEACE score reliably predicted the risk of sICH in VBAO patients who underwent EVT.

Ischemic stroke, caused by the interruption of the blood supply to the brain, requires prompt medical intervention to prevent irreversible damage. Anesthetic management is pivotal during surgical treatments like mechanical thrombectomy, where precise strategies ensure patient safety and procedural success. This narrative review highlights key aspects of anesthetic management in ischemic stroke, focusing on preoperative evaluation, anesthetic choices, and intraoperative care. A rapid yet thorough preoperative assessment is crucial, prioritizing essential diagnostic tests and cardiovascular evaluations to determine patient frailty and potential complications. The decision between general anesthesia (GA) and conscious sedation (CS) remains debated, with GA offering better procedural conditions and CS enabling continuous neurological assessment. The selection of anesthetic agents—such as propofol, sevoflurane, midazolam, fentanyl, remifentanil, and dexmedetomidine—depends on local protocols and expertise balancing neuroprotection, hemodynamic stability, and rapid postoperative recovery. Effective blood pressure management, tailored airway strategies, and vigilant postoperative monitoring are essential to optimize outcomes. This review underscores the importance of coordinated care, incorporating multimodal monitoring and maintaining neuroprotection throughout the perioperative period.

Endovascular treatment (EVT) for vertebrobasilar artery occlusion (VBAO) with atrial fibrillation presents complex clinical challenges. This comprehensive multicenter study of 525 patients across 15 Chinese provinces investigated nuanced predictors beyond conventional metrics. While 45.1% achieved favorable outcomes at 90 days, our advanced machine learning approach unveiled subtle interaction effects among clinical variables not captured by traditional statistical methods. The predictive model distinguished high-risk subgroups by integrating multiple parameters, demonstrating superior prognostic precision compared to standard NIHSS-based assessments. Novel findings include nonlinear relationships between dyslipidemia, stroke severity, and functional recovery. The developed predictive algorithm (AUC 0.719 internally, 0.684 externally) offers a more sophisticated risk stratification tool, potentially guiding personalized treatment strategies in high-complexity VBAO patients with atrial fibrillation.

(1) Background: Surgical treatment of choroid plexus tumors is challenging, burdened by a notable risk of bleeding. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and preoperative embolization have been attempted, with encouraging results; however, the consensus on these procedures is lacking. (2) Methods: We present a case of a 10-month-old girl who underwent preoperative embolization of a hemorrhagic choroid plexus carcinoma of the lateral ventricle via the anterior choroidal artery, followed by total resection. (3) Results: The endovascular procedure was successfully completed, despite the rectification of the anterior choroidal artery associated with the absence of flow proximal to the plexal point. Minimal bleeding was observed during resection and the patient remained neurologically intact. (4) Conclusions: The time from entrance to exit in the anterior choroidal artery should be monitored and regarded as a potential ‘occlusion time’ in this specific group of patients. Nevertheless, our case supports the feasibility and effectiveness of preoperative embolization of a choroid plexus carcinoma of the lateral ventricle via the anterior choroidal artery, without complications. Furthermore, we suggest the use of a fast-embolic agent, such as N-butyl cyanoacrylate glue, as the preferred agent for this specific pathology and patient population.