Assessment of Cerebrovascular Accident with MR Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Abstract : Introduction: Worldwide Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) / Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability1. Cerebrovascular accident is also among the most common indication for diagnostic imaging of brain . CT scan involve use of radiation which is avoided in MRI . MRI have advantage like excellent soft tissue characterisation compare to CT2. The present study was carried to find out the role of MRI in detection of lesion in suspected CVA cases .Differentiate between Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke with classification of ischemic infarct & hematoma into types like hyperacute ,acute , subacute ,chronic using various MR sequences. Material & method : Present study was conducted on 112 patients in the department of radiodiagnosis in Govt. Medical college ,Aurangabad during the period of July 2008 to September 2010 on 1.5 T Phillips Achieva MR scanner with acquisition of T1 axial , T2 axial ,FLAIR axial ,DW axial ,T2 coronal ,T1 sagittal , T2 TFE axial sequences in patients with strong clinical suspicion of CVA . Results: 112 patients were studied , out of which lesions of CVA found in 106 patients .Total 118 lesions found in 106 cases . Out of 99 Ischemic infarcts without hemorrhagic transformation, 2 ( 2.02%) were hyperacute , 37 (37.37%)were acute, 8 (8.08%)were subacute , 52 (52,52%)were chronic. Out of 4 Ischemic infarcts with hemorrhagic transformation, 2 (50%) were acute and 2 (50%)were subacute lesions. Out of 15 lesions of hemorrhagic stroke, 1 (6.66%) was hyperacute, 1 (6.66%) was acute and 11 (73.33%) were subacute and 2 (13.33%) were chronic. Diffusion weighted imaging helpful in differentiation of acute and chronic ischemic lesions. Subarachnoid bleed seen more easily on FLAIR sequence than on other nonangiographic sequences. Gradient echo sequence shows blooming in all suspected cases of hemorrhage. Conclusion.: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays important role in detection of lesions of CVA . MRI using multiple MR sequences useful in differentiation & classification of hemorrhagic and Ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke are common than hemorrhagic stroke.