MRI and CT stroke - Dissertation Example

A stroke is a sudden event that causes a change or loss in the function of the brain (Pluto et al., 2011). It is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide (Bhattacharya et al., 2013; Hoey et al., 2013; Vymazal et al., 2012). Early detection of a stroke can best enable the acute care team towards treatment decisions to gain the most favourable prognosis for the stroke victim (Bhattacharya et al., 2013; Chalela et al., 2007; Vymazal et al., 2012). When decreased blood flow in the brain causes a stroke, that stroke is known as an ischemic stroke (Pluto et al., 2011). Strokes specifically affect the Central Nervous System (CNS), and characteristically are abrupt at onset due to a vascular insult. A very serious condition, strokes are ranked among conditions that contribute to high rates of mortality and also cause disabilities among adult sufferers. Strokes are mostly ischemic in nature. In contrast, when bleeding in the brain causes a stroke, that stroke is known as a haemorrhagic stroke (Pluto et al., 2011). A sub-type of haemorrhagic stroke is a subarachnoid haemorrhage, which is a stroke that is caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain (Pluto et al., 2011).

Diagnosing the specific type of stroke is important as this determination will form the basis of the treatment choice. There are numerous types of tests that are used to diagnose strokes in modern diagnostic centres (Pluto et al., 2011). The core reason for conducting this research study was to examine the function played by CT and MRI imaging techniques in diagnosing and managing strokes among patients.

A computed tomography (CT) scan uses x-rays in a special array to produce two- or three-dimensional images of the brain (Pluto et al., 2011). This can be a very rapid procedure. For example, a non-contrast CT scan, that is, a scan without intravenous injection of fluid, is very fast, taking less than one minute. Non-contrast CT can accurately visualize blood. For this reason, it is sometimes a useful technique for diagnosing both haemorrhagic and subarachnoid haemorrhage strokes (Pluto et al., 2011).

A related technique to that above is CT angiography (CTA). This technique is heavily dependent on the use of a contrast agent to improve the visualization of arteries in the brain. CTA can detect clots in arteries, the cause of ischemic strokes (Pluto et al., 2011). Images of a CTA of the brain and the arteries within it are shown in the two figures below.