NEW DIRECTIONS IN MAGNETIC-RESONANCE IN ACUTE CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA

Since the early 1980s, conventional magnetic resonance imaging has dem onstrated its usefulness in stroke diagnosis. However, its limitations are obvious, when it is applied to imaging during the first few hours after the onset of ischemia, to the delineation of the ischemic area and to the evaluation of the pathophysiological state of the vessels a nd brain tissues. Since the late 1980s, new techniques such as fast im aging, magnetic resonance angiography, perfusion imaging, diffusion im aging and MR spectroscopy have been available and used in research. Mo reover, these techniques appear to be sensitive enough to allow monito ring of changes due to therapeutics in animal stroke experiments. This review addresses the potential applications of magnetic resonance to acute stroke problems in a clinical setting.