[Neuroimaging in cerebral ischemia]

A critical review about different neuroimaging techniques and its contribution to the field of cerebrovascular diseases is presented. The advances of neuroradiology have revolutionized stroke diagnosis. The inminence use of specific treatment for acute brain ischemia (neuroprotective and thrombolytic drugs) make neurologists become familiar with several imaging techniques that will also change stroke management. Nowadays, computed tomography is the mostly available technique for spanish neurologists in the acute phase, because of that, a suitable knowledge of early CT signs of acute infarction make possible use it in peak condition. Perfusion-and-diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance give such a lot of information for acute stroke, that at the near future, therapeutic decisions will be based on these findings. The role of other functional an angiography techniques is discussed.