Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolysis Evaluation Trial

The echoplanar imaging thrombolysis evaluation trial (EPITHET) is the first large study designed specifically to assess whether the existence of a diffusion-perfusion mismatch should be an eligibility criterion for thrombolysis. 

Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolysis Evaluation Trial Epithet. 28th International Stroke Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, USA Eebruary 2003. 

Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolysis Evaluation Trial (EPITHET) Yes No Yes... 

It has been proposed that the phenomenon of DWI lesion reversal means that patients without perfusion-diffusion mismatch may still benefit from thrombolytic therapy (Kidwell et al. 2000). However, others consider more research is needed before adopting such an approach into clinical practice (Schellinger et al. 2003). We have not found that non-mismatch patients benefited from thrombolysis compared to historical controls (Parsons et al. 2002a). The ongoing Australasian Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolysis Evaluation Trial (EPITHET) has been designed, in part, to answer the question of whether non-mismatch patients benefit from thrombolysis (Parsons et al. 2002a). 

De Silva, D.A., et al., Assessing reperfusion and recanali-zation as markers of clinical outcomes after intravenous thrombolysis in the echoplanar imaging thrombolytic evaluation trial (EPITHET). Stroke, 2009. 40(8) p. 2872-4. 

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