MAGNETIC-RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY MONITORING OF STREPTOKINASE IN OCCLUSION OF THE MIDDLE CEREBRAL-ARTERY

A 77 year old woman was hospitalized one hour after the onset of right hemiplegia and aphasia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination was negative and MRA indicated occlusion of the left middle cerebral a rtery. Treatment with streptokinase was instituted (a 60 minute intrav enous infusion of 1.5 MU of streptokinase in 100 ml of saline solution ). Two hours after infusion, the patient's motor function clearly impr oved. An MRA examination performed six hours later showed partial reca nalization of the obstructed vessel. Our report demonstrates the poten tial usefulness of MRA monitoring during thrombolytic therapy.