State-of-the-Art Imaging in Stroke

In recent years, a substantial number of imaging studies have addressed the neuronal processes underlying recovery after stroke. Although difficult to achieve, several longitudinal studies assessed both clinical recovery and imaging patterns over time and give important inside into the plasticity of the stroked brain. This tendency is supported by the fact that it has become possible to depict biological processes at the cellular and molecular level. Of primary interest is the development of methods using MRI and PET with which the different kinds of progress of therapy in acute ischemic stroke can be monitored and graphically displayed. The emerging studies of brain plasticity and its modulation by drugs and other therapies indicate potentially useful approaches to the rehabilitation of adults with brain damage, including damage resulting from cerebral ischaemia. State-of-the-art imaging technology is already being developed to image genes and their impact on cellular function in laboratory animals. Eventually, this may also be possible in humans. Main attention is given to imaging the post-stroke phase and its implication on treatment. This book gives important insight in the future of imaging in stroke and their interaction with clinical aspects. Stroke care has become a specialised field, requiring input from different sub-specialists forming a multidisciplinary team.