Objective: Most large-vessel occlusions (LVOs) amenable to acute recanalization occur in the internal carotid or middle cerebral artery. However, few LVOs with a multivessel disease can be difficult to treat. This study aimed to determine the outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy in patients with both anterior and middle cerebral artery occlusions.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data for patients who had undergone mechanical thrombectomy since January 2016 at Fukushima Medical University and its affiliated institutions (10 institutions). Patients with occluded vessels in the anterior and middle cerebral arteries were selected, and patient background, treatment course, and outcomes were reviewed.

Results: A total of 341 mechanical thrombectomies were performed during the study period. Seven patients had occlusions involving both anterior and middle cerebral arteries. In these seven patients, the median time from onset to imaging, imaging to puncture, and puncture to recanalization was 106, 60, and 74 min, respectively. Only one patient (14%) had a modified Rankin Scale of 0–2 at 90 days.

Conclusion: Comorbid anterior cerebral artery occlusion may worsen the outcome of patients with middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Objective: In endovascular treatment, it is important to evaluate the access route for placing a catheter into the common carotid artery (CCA) promptly and safely prior to the procedure. We examined whether non-contrast MRA using time-spatial labeling inversion pulse (Time-SLIP) can be used in patients prior to endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke. We compared Time-SLIP MRA to contrast-enhanced (CE) MRA and evaluated the efficacy in the evaluation of access routes.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 31 patients admitted between October 2018 and December 2018 for cerebral infarction at our hospital. Blood vessels were imaged from the aortic arch to the CCA. A radiologist blindly evaluated quality score, stenosis, shape of the aorta, and degree of tortuosity.

Results: There were no “non-diagnostic” images. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for stenosis were 83%, 96%, 83%, and 96%, respectively. The sensitivity for the aorta type classification was 100%. The sensitivity for mild tortuosity was 93%, for moderate was 100%, and for severe was 100%.

Conclusion: Time-SLIP MRA can be an alternative to CE MRA in access route assessment for patients with cerebral infarction who are not eligible for acute thrombectomy therapy.