The Utility of Middle Cerebral Artery Clot Density and Burden Assessment by Noncontrast Computed Tomography in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Treated with Thrombolysis

Utility of the HMCAS as a prognostic marker in stroke thrombolysis is not high in the CT angiography era. Previous observation regarding its positive prognostic role can be attributed to its association with proximal location and extent of clot burden, which are detectable reliably with current CT angiography techniques. Neither quantification nor extent of increased density seems to have clinical utility for treatment decision making in MCA strokes and prediction of emboli composition and response to recanalization attempt.