Neuroimaging is crucial for stroke diagnosis and to establish the feasibility of reperfusion therapy, but is not practical for the assessment of continuous evolution of brain ischemia. Electroencephalography (EEG) in the early phase of brain ischemia could be a feasible instrument of functional monitoring. In this context, it would be of great research and clinical interest to assess the relation between EEG parameters and the hypoperfused volume measured by Computed Tomography Perfusion (CTP), as possible real-time surrogate parameters for extent of brain ischemia. This preliminary study aimed at investigating the relation between stroke-related EEG changes, measured on bedside with wireless EEG device, and the extent of hypoperfused volume assessed on CTP during the hyper-acute phase. We studied 12 consecutive ischemic stroke patients who underwent CTP assessment and EEG recording with wireless device within 4.5 hours from symptom onset. Total hypoperfused volume correlated significantly with the delta/alpha power ratio (ρ=0.72; p<0.010), (delta+theta)/(alpha+beta) power ratio (ρ=0.68; p=0.018), as well as with relative delta power (ρ=0.61, p<0.041). A significant negative correlation was found between relative alpha power (ρ=-0.77; p=0.003) and hypoperfused volume. In conclusion, EEG could be useful for the assessment of stroke severity and functional longitudinal monitoring.
