HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) CME Test (opens in a new window) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Srinivasan, A. Articles by Lum, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Srinivasan, A. Articles by Lum, C. Related Collections Magnetic Resonance Imaging Neuroradiology Computed Tomography

State-of-the-Art Imaging of Acute Stroke¹

¹ From the Department of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Recipient of a Certificate of Merit award for an education exhibit at the 2005 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received January 13, 2006; revision requested May 9 and received June 13; accepted June 28. All authors have no financial relationships to disclose. Address correspondence to A.S., Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, University of Michigan Health System, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (e-mail: ashoks{at}med.umich.edu).

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the developed world. The goals of an imaging evaluation for acute stroke are to establish a diagnosis as early as possible and to obtain accurate information about the intracranial vasculature and brain perfusion for guidance in selecting the appropriate therapy. A comprehensive evaluation may be performed with a combination of computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques. Unenhanced CT can be performed quickly, can help identify early signs of stroke, and can help rule out hemorrhage. CT angiography and CT perfusion imaging, respectively, can depict intravascular thrombi and salvageable tissue indicated by a penumbra. These examinations are easy to perform on most helical CT scanners and are increasingly used in stroke imaging protocols to decide whether intervention is necessary. While acute infarcts may be seen early on conventional MR images, diffusion-weighted MR imaging is more sensitive for detection of hyperacute ischemia. Gradient-echo MR sequences can be helpful for detecting a hemorrhage. The status of neck and intracranial vessels can be evaluated with MR angiography, and a mismatch between findings on diffusion and perfusion MR images may be used to predict the presence of a penumbra. The information obtained by combining various imaging techniques may help differentiate patients who do not need intravenous or intraarterial therapy from those who do, and may alter clinical outcomes.

© RSNA, 2006

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. M. de Lucas, E. Sanchez, A. Gutierrez, A. G. Mandly, E. Ruiz, A. F. Florez, J. Izquierdo, J. Arnaiz, T. Piedra, N. Valle, et al. CT Protocol for Acute Stroke: Tips and Tricks for General Radiologists RadioGraphics, October 1, 2008; 28(6): 1673 - 1687. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]