Imaging Review of Common and Rare Causes of Stroke in Children

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pediatrics
• Radiology

Background:

• Vascular injury is a critical factor in pediatric mortality and morbidity.
• Pediatric vascular brain injury is often underdiagnosed due to lower suspicion compared to adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review common and rare causes of pediatric stroke.
• To correlate neuroimaging findings with clinical presentations.
• To emphasize the role of multimodal neuroimaging in diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of pediatric stroke etiologies.
• Analysis of neuroimaging findings in pediatric stroke.
• Discussion of clinical mimics and diagnostic approaches.

Main Results:

• Identified cardioembolic, viral, autoimmune, post-traumatic, and genetic causes of pediatric stroke.
• Provided neuroimaging correlates for clinical stroke mimics.
• Highlighted the utility of multimodal noninvasive neuroimaging.

Conclusions:

• Multimodal noninvasive neuroimaging is key for early pediatric stroke diagnosis.
• A structured approach aids differential diagnosis for clinicians.
• Increased awareness and diagnostic tools improve outcomes for pediatric vascular brain injury.