Limited Adoption of MRI to Evaluate TIA/Minor Stroke

In 2011, about half of transient ischemic attack/minor stroke patients evaluated at Veterans Affairs hospitals had a brain MRI performed within 48 hours.

Although computed tomographic (CT) imaging provides some prognostic information for patient with transient ischemic attack (TIA)/minor stroke, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can more readily confirm focal ischemia as a cause of transient symptoms and can improve the accuracy of neuroanatomic localization and the mechanism of cerebral ischemia. Therefore, 2009 guidelines recommended performing a neuroimaging study within 24 hours after TIA, preferably with brain MRI.

Now, researchers report that 3396 of 7889 of TIA/minor stroke patients seen at VA hospitals in 2011 had an MRI within 2 days – that is, only 51% of those imaged; 84.9% had either a CT or an MRI. Advanced age, prior stroke, dementia, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery di…

Reviewing Author

Anthony S. Kim, MD, MAS

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; NIH/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

Anthony S. Kim, MD, MAS

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; NIH/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

Limited Adoption of MRI to Evaluate TIA/Minor Stroke

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Reviewing Author