Acute stroke differential diagnosis: Stroke mimics. Issue 96 (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vilela, Pedro
• Is Part Of: European journal of radiology. Issue 96(2017)
• Page Start: 133
• Page End: 144
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: Stroke mimic -- Acute ischemic stroke -- Seizures -- Migraine -- Transient periictal MRI abnormalities TPMA -- Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome PRES -- Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome RCVS; Medical radiology -- Periodicals; Radiology -- Periodicals; Radiologie médicale -- Périodiques; Medical radiology; Periodicals; 616.075705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2017.05.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0720-048X

Abstract

Highlights: Comprehensive clinical and imaging review of acute arterial ischemic stroke stroke mimics, with special emphasises for advanced CT and MRI imaging. Clinical and imaging review of the rarer stroke presentations. Abstract: Stroke mimics (SM) are non-vascular conditions that present with an acute neurological deficit simulating acute ischemic stroke and represent a significant percentage of all acute stroke hospital admissions. The most common clinical SM includes conversion/functional (psychiatric disorder); seizures and postictal paralysis; toxic-metabolic disturbances; brain tumours; infections, and migraine. Imaging is essential for SM recognition, being Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), perfusion imaging and angiographic studies very useful. There are several disorders that may have imaging features that simulate acute ischemic stroke, mainly presenting with cytotoxic oedema and/or perfusion deficits. The imaging features of the most frequent clinical and imaging stroke mimics are reviewed.