DWI lesions reversal in posterior circulation stroke after reperfusion: Two illustrative cases and review of the literature

In acute stroke, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesions are commonly considered markers of irreversible ischemia, and accurate assessment of DWI lesion volume is crucial in order to establish cutoffs above which reperfusion may not be beneficial. However, some case reports have suggested DWI lesion reversal after reperfusion in posterior circula- tion. We present two cases of brainstem and cerebellar DWI lesions’ reversal after intravenous thrombolysis, and sum- marize currently available data on this issue.