Takeaway
In the first 6.5 hours of ischemic stroke, the collateral status is unaffected by time to imaging. Better collateral status and a shorter time to recanalization are independent predictors of a better functional outcome.
Why this matters
Collateral blood flow is essential to sustain tissue viability in patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by occlusion of an intracranial artery. In the initial hours post stroke, there is substantial interindividual variability in collateral status on neuroimaging.
In patients undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT), time to treatment and collateral status are important prognostic factors and may be correlated.