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Edwards et al. Vessel Plus 2021;5:42 Vessel Plus
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1209.2021.18

Review Open Access

Review of CT perfusion and current applications in

posterior circulation stroke

4
4
Leon S. Edwards 1,2,3 , Cecilia Cappelen-Smith 1,2,3 , Dennis Cordato 1,2,3 , Andrew Bivard , Leonid Churilov ,
Mark W. Parsons 1,2,3
1
Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
2
South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
3
Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
4
Melbourne Brain Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3050, VIC, Australia.
Correspondence to: Prof. Mark W. Parsons, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW
2170, Australia. E-mail: Mark.Parsons@unsw.edu.au
How to cite this article: Edwards LS, Cappelen-Smith C, Cordato D, Bivard A, Churilov L, Parsons MW. Review of CT perfusion
and current applications in posterior circulation stroke. Vessel Plus 2021;5:42. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1209.2021.18

Received: 1 Feb 2021 First Decision: 12 Mar 2021 Revised: 5 Apr 2021 Accepted: 20 May 2021 First online: 31 May 2021

Academic Editor: Christopher Lau Copy Editor: Yue-Yue Zhang Production Editor: Yue-Yue Zhang

Abstract
Acute ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability. Treatment efficacy is highly time-dependent.
Approximately 20% of acute ischaemic stroke occurs in the posterior circulation. Clinical presentation of posterior
circulation stroke is subtle. Diagnosis is often delayed and frequently missed. CT perfusion has improved diagnostic
accuracy and been integral to guiding acute therapy in patients with anterior circulation stroke. There are limited
studies assessing the role of CT perfusion in posterior circulation stroke. This review provides a reference for
interpretation of CT perfusion and summarises current evidence relating to applications in acute posterior
circulation stroke.

Keywords: CT perfusion, posterior circulation, acute ischaemic stroke

INTRODUCTION
Stroke is globally one of the leading causes of death and disability. Acute treatment for ischaemic stroke is
highly effective but partly time-dependent. Treatment depends upon expedient clinical appraisal of medical
imaging. Current guidelines use a specific time window from stroke onset to determine eligibility for
[1,2]
reperfusion therapy . Due to this limited time frame, only a minority of potentially eligible strokes receive

© The Author(s) 2021. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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