Shang WJ, Chen HB, Shu LM, et al. - Through a total of 459 consecutive patients with middle cerebral artery stroke, researchers hypothesized that the correlation between FLAIR vascular hyperintensity and outcome differs with time. Within 6 hours of onset, no patients underwent MR imaging. The proportion of FLAIR vascular hyperintensity (+) and severe stenosis or occlusion of MCA was not markedly conditioned on time. FLAIR vascular hyperintensity (+) was significantly related to bigger lesions, the prevalence of flow injury, and unfavorable outcome (mRS ≥ 2), in groups 1 and 2. No such relationships were found in group 3. For unfavorable outcomes in group 2, FLAIR vascular hyperintensity (+) was an independent risk factor. Infarction volume tended to rise with the progress of the distal FLAIR vascular hyperintensity score in groups 1 and 2 while decreasing in group 3. In conclusion, within 6 hours to 14 days of onset, FLAIR vascular hyperintensity was correlated with the unfavorable outcome while the more extensive distribution of distal FLAIR vascular hyperintensity may be convenient beyond 14 days of onset in MCA infarction. Moreover, when evaluating the prognostic value of FLAIR vascular hyperintensity, symptom-to-MR imaging time should be acknowledged.