Abstract:
Introduction. Ischemic stroke incidence and mortality rates show a constantly increasing trend
worldwide. As the only specific treatment for ischemic stroke, considered the gold standard,
tissue plasminogen activator can be applied only in first 3 hours from the symptoms onset,
imaging report must contain maximal volume of information regarding the ischemic lesion. The
Alberta Stroke Program Early Computer Tomography Score (ASPECTS) accurately classifies
and standardizes regions of middle cerebral artery circulations and describes the subtle changes
in imaging patterns, providing possibility to identify ischemia and appreciate its severity.
ASPECTS represents a quantitative topographic assessment scale with 10 points for normal
brain appearance and subtraction of 1 point for every area, where early ischemic signs are
present.
