[en] Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and perfusion-imaging (PI) MRI are powerful new techniques for the assessment of early ischemic changes in acute stroke patients. We aimed to determine whether the results of these acute phase DWI and PI MRI are useful to predict their neurological outcomes. DWI, PI and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging (FLAIR) MRI lesion volumes were compared with neurological deficit as determined by Japan Stroke Scale (JSS) and Barthel index in 12 patients with acute stroke at two time points. Patients were scanned and their clinical severity was measured first at their admission and two weeks after the initial scan. We could perform MRI within 5 days (mean: 2.6 days), and detect the latest ischemic lesions with initial DWI in all cases. Most patients showed decreased DWI lesion volumes, increased FLAIR volumes and decreased JSS scores reflecting their neurological improvements. Initial DWI volumes correlated with follow-up FLAIR volumes (p=0.0047, r²=0.976). The results seem to indicate that lesion volumes determined by DWI in the acute phase may be predictive of irreversible ischemic lesion, although the initial MRI study did not correlate with JSS, BI and patients' age. (author)