Histological stroke clot analysis after thrombectomy: Technical aspects and recommendations

S Staessens; S Fitzgerald; T Andersson; F Clarençon; F Denorme; M J Gounis; W Hacke; D S Liebeskind; I Szikora; Acgm van Es; W Brinjikji; K M Doyle; S F De Meyer

doi:10.1177/1747493019884527

Histological stroke clot analysis after thrombectomy: Technical aspects and recommendations

Int J Stroke. 2020 Jul;15(5):467-476. doi: 10.1177/1747493019884527. Epub 2019 Nov 3.

Authors

S Staessens¹, S Fitzgerald², T Andersson^{3

4}, F Clarençon⁵, F Denorme¹, M J Gounis⁶, W Hacke⁷, D S Liebeskind⁸, I Szikora⁹, Acgm van Es¹⁰, W Brinjikji¹¹, K M Doyle², S F De Meyer¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium.
² CÚRAM-Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
³ Department of Medical Imaging, AZ Groeninge, Kortrijk, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska University Hospital and Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁵ Department of Neuroradiology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP, Paris, France.
⁶ Division of Neuroimaging and Intervention and New England Center for Stroke Research, Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
⁷ Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls University, Heidelberg, Germany.
⁸ Neurovascular Imaging Research Core and UCLA Stroke Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁹ Department of Neuroradiology, National Institute of Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary.
¹⁰ Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center (EMC), Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
¹¹ Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

PMID: 31679478
DOI: 10.1177/1747493019884527

Abstract

The recent advent of endovascular procedures has created the unique opportunity to collect and analyze thrombi removed from cerebral arteries, instigating a novel subfield in stroke research. Insights into thrombus characteristics and composition could play an important role in ongoing efforts to improve acute ischemic stroke therapy. An increasing number of centers are collecting stroke thrombi. This paper aims at providing guiding information on thrombus handling, procedures, and analysis in order to facilitate and standardize this emerging research field.

Keywords: Stroke; clot; histology; thrombectomy; thrombus.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brain Ischemia* / complications
Brain Ischemia* / surgery
Endovascular Procedures*
Humans
Stroke* / surgery
Thrombectomy
Thrombosis*