Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Acute Stroke

Neuroimaging plays a critical role in the management of patients with acute stroke syndrome, with diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic implications. A multiparametric magnetic resonance (MR) imaging protocol in the emergency setting can address both primary goals of neuroimaging (ie, detection of infarction and exclusion of hemorrhage) and secondary goals of neuroimaging (ie, identifying the site of arterial occlusion, tissue characterization for defining infarct core and penumbra, and determining stroke cause/mechanism). MR imaging provides accurate diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and can differentiate AIS from other potential differential diagnoses.