Appropriate therapy for ischemic stroke depends on rapid completion of which diagnostic study?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Confirmation of the diagnosis of ischemic stroke is the first step in the emergent evaluation of these patients.Differentiation from intracranial hemorrhage is vital.Noncontrast computed tomography (CT)scanning is the method of choice for this purpose,and it is considered the most important initial diagnostic study.In addition to excluding intracranial hemorrhage,CT can assist in identifying early neurologic complications and the cause of the insult.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)can demonstrate infarction of cerebral tissue earlier than can CT but is less useful in the emergent differential diagnosis.Lumbar puncture is performed only if subarachnoid hemorrhage is suspected and the CT scan findings are normal.

Appropriate Therapy for Ischemic Stroke Depends on Rapid Completion of Which