Which statement best describes the relationship between ASPECTS score and thrombectomy eligibility?

Which statement best describes the relationship between ASPECTS score and thrombectomy eligibility?

• A. Higher ASPECTS (>=6) suggests potential benefit from thrombectomy
• B. Lower ASPECTS (<6) suggests benefit from thrombectomy
• C. ASPECTS does not influence thrombectomy decisions
• D. ASPECTS is used only for tPA decisions

Answer: (A)

ASPECTS is a CT-based scoring system that estimates how much brain tissue in the MCA territory has already been affected by ischemia. A higher score means fewer early ischemic changes and more potentially salvageable tissue. In the setting of a large vessel occlusion, a score of 6 or higher suggests there is enough viable brain to benefit from removing the clot, so thrombectomy is likely to be beneficial. A lower score indicates more extensive early changes, meaning less tissue can be saved and the risk of poor outcome or harm increases, making thrombectomy less favorable. ASPECTS is used to guide thrombectomy decisions and is not limited to tPA considerations.

ASPECTS is a CT-based scoring system that estimates how much brain tissue in the MCA territory has already been affected by ischemia. A higher score means fewer early ischemic changes and more potentially salvageable tissue. In the setting of a large vessel occlusion, a score of 6 or higher suggests there is enough viable brain to benefit from removing the clot, so thrombectomy is likely to be beneficial. A lower score indicates more extensive early changes, meaning less tissue can be saved and the risk of poor outcome or harm increases, making thrombectomy less favorable. ASPECTS is used to guide thrombectomy decisions and is not limited to tPA considerations.