Stroke Diagnosis
Lutheran Hospital, a comprehensive stroke center, utilizes a variety of advanced imaging technologies for enhanced stroke diagnosis.
Dynamic volume CT provides images of the entire brain and shows real-time brain function with greater detail in less time than conventional MR and CT imaging systems.
Stroke analysis software rapidly reads and sorts thousands of CT images, typically reducing analysis to less than two minutes. Physicians are able to almost immediately evaluate blood flow within the brain and identify areas that may respond to treatment. Quicker diagnosis allows for rapid intervention to reverse the damage caused by stroke.
Stroke analysis software delivers critical data. For example, this image indicates regions of the brain already affected by stroke (pink) and those that remain at risk (green). Physicians use this information to help determine areas that might be salvageable using endovascular stroke therapy.
Lutheran Hospital's radiology department also offers carotid ultrasonography, CT, diagnostic, interventional and MR angiography, MRI and transcranial Doppler studies for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke.
NIH Stroke Scale
Lutheran Hospital utilizes The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale to systematically assess the neurologic effects of a stroke. This diagnostic tool measures the severity of a stroke, helps determine appropriate treatment and predicts outcomes.
The NIHSS 15-item scale evaluates the effect of acute stroke on:
- Levels of consciousness
- Language
- Neglect
- Field of vision
- Eye movement
- Muscle strength
- Muscle control and balance
- Speech
- Senses
A trained observer rates patients' ability to answer questions and perform activities in an assessment that takes less than 10 minutes to complete.