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Imaging of Acute Ischemic Stroke: Unenhanced Computed Tomography

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Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

The speed, widespread availability, low cost, and accuracy in detecting subarachnoid and intracranial hemorrhage have led conventional computed tomography (CT) scanning to become the first-line diagnostic test for the emergency evaluation of acute stroke [1–6]. Head CT scans can detect ischemic brain regions within 6 h of stroke onset (hyperacute). According to reports by Mohr and González, the sensitivity of such early detection is comparable to that of conventional T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [7–12]. For example, based on 68 patients imaged within 4 h of stroke onset, Mohr et al. [11] concluded that CT was equivalent to MRI T2-weighted images in its ability to detect the earliest signs of stroke (Table 3.1, Fig. 3.1–3.5).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neuroradiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 8131, 510 S. Kingshighway Boulevard, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Josser E. Delgado Almandoz

  2. Massachusetts General Hospital, Neuroradiology, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Stuart R. Pomerantz & R. Gilberto González

  3. Emergency Neuroradiology and Neurovascular Lab, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Michael H. Lev

Authors
  1. Josser E. Delgado Almandoz
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  2. Stuart R. Pomerantz
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  3. R. Gilberto González
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  4. Michael H. Lev
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael H. Lev .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Dept. Neuroradiology, Harvard Medical School, Fruit St., Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    R. Gilberto González

  2. Massachusetts General Hospital, Dept. Neuroradiology, Harvard Medical School, Fruit St. 55, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Joshua A. Hirsch

  3. Massachusetts General Hospital, Dept. Neuroradiology, Harvard Medical School, Fruit St. 55, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Michael H. Lev

  4. Massachusetts General Hospital, Dept. Neuroradiology, Harvard Medical School, Fruit St. 55, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Pamela W. Schaefer

  5. , Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Fruit Street 55, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Lee H. Schwamm

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Almandoz, J.E.D., Pomerantz, S.R., González, R.G., Lev, M.H. (2011). Imaging of Acute Ischemic Stroke: Unenhanced Computed Tomography. In: González, R., Hirsch, J., Lev, M., Schaefer, P., Schwamm, L. (eds) Acute Ischemic Stroke. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12751-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12751-9_3

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