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Updated: Feb 27, 2026

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Protocol for Stroke Onset Time Estimation in Permanent Cerebral Ischemia
Published on: September 16, 2017
The cause of the stroke: a diagnostic uncertainty
Abhishek Dattani1, Ava Jackson2
1Stroke Medicine, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Abstract:
A 39-year-old man with a history of sickle cell disease (SCD) presented with left leg weakness. He had a normal CT head and CT angiogram, but MRI head showed multiple acute bilateral cortical infarcts including in the right precentral gyrus. The MRI findings were more in keeping with an embolic source rather than stroke related to SCD, although it could not be ruled out. He also had an echocardiogram which revealed a patent foramen ovale. He was treated with antiplatelet therapy and also had red blood cell exchange transfusion. His symptoms improved significantly and he was discharged with follow-up as an outpatient and a cardiology review.
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