To compare the evaluation value of 3D-ASL and DSC-PWI on ischemic penumbra and cerebral blood flow in athlete patients with ischemic stroke. Methods  Forty-three athlete patients with sudden ischemic stroke were selected. After the athlete patients were admitted to the hospital, they firstly received DWI examination to confirm the disease diagnosis, and then underwent 3D-ASL and DSC-PWI examination respectively. The ischemic penumbra was judged by using the results of 3D-ASL examination and the mismatch between the results of DSC-PWI examination and DWI examination, and the difference between the cerebral blood flows of the two examinations was compared. Results Statistical analysis revealed that the detection rate of 3D-ASL in hypoperfusion area was 90.70%, which was not significantly different from 81.40% of DSC-PWI examination (P=0.213). The detection rate of 3D-ASL in ischemic penumbra was 79.07%, which was significantly higher than 58.14% of DSC-PWI examination (P = 0.037). On the examination of cerebral blood flow volume, the blood flow volumes in the infarct area and the ischemic penumbra measured by 3D-ASL were significantly higher than those by DSC-PWI (P < 0.05). Conclusion Compared with DSC-PWI, 3D-ASL could better detect and locate the ischemic penumbra, and the measured blood flow value of brain tissue is significantly higher than that of DSC-PWI. In addition, 3D-ASL is non-invasive, with short operation time and high application value.