Acute stroke imaging: What clinicians need to know

Advances in technology and software applications have contributed to new imaging modalities and strategies in the evaluation of patients with suspected acute cerebral infarction. Routine computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been the standard studies in stroke imaging, which have been complemented by CT and MR angiography, diffusion-weighted MR imaging, and cerebral perfusion studies, while conventional angiography is typically reserved for intra-arterial therapy. The purpose of this article is to review the variety of imaging studies available in the acute stroke setting, and to discuss the utility of each and the pertinent associated main findings. The appropriateness of which study and when each should be ordered is also discussed. At the conclusion of this article, the reader should have a more clear understanding of the neuroimaging modalities available for acute stroke imaging.