Acute stroke imaging: what hospitalists need to know

A review in the green journal:

Clinical Significance

• In acute stroke, first exclude intracranial hemorrhage, a contraindication to thrombolysis.

• Cervical and cerebral arteries can be evaluated with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) angiography to look for clot, significant stenosis, dissection, arterial occlusion, and other vascular abnormalities.

• Perfusion studies can be performed with either CT or MR to assess for ischemic penumbra and core infarct.

• Conventional angiography is typically reserved for intra-arterial therapy.