MRI And Echocardiography

Battling Strokes Before They Strike

New research reveals that using both MRI and echocardiography to image the heart greatly enhances the detection of the cause and selection of the best treatment of cardioembolic strokes, the "meanest" type of stroke.

Based on a recent study, researchers urge more comprehensive imaging for patients arriving at hospitals with symptoms of stroke.

Study results found that MRI detected nearly twice as many sources of stroke in the heart than echocardiogram alone. It also showed the ability of MRI to reveal more heart disease conditions that contribute to clot formation in the first place.

However Echocardiography was very effective in the detection of heart valve lesions. Using both imaging systems can more clearly identify underlying causes of future stroke.  This can be a great help to doctors deciding the best initial therapy and the best treatment to prevent a secondary stroke.

John Sheehan, M.D. states, "This can revolutionize patient care because we can detect the underlying cause of the stroke and prevent it from occurring again," Sheehan is an interventional radiologist at Northwestern University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The doctor goes on to say, "A potential cardiac source should be considered in all patients presenting with ischemic strokes. All stroke patients should routinely have an MRI and ultrasound of their heart, in addition to having their brain and carotids imaged with CT and MRI. It's nice to be on the front end of a stroke -- able to stop it, than on the back end, figuring out how to deal with its damage."

Cardioembolic strokes account for 20 percent of embolic strokes.  They have a less optimistic prognosis, producing larger, more disabling strokes that are more likely to recur compared to other types of stroke.

In the United States stroke is the leading cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of death; only heart disease and cancer cause more deaths annually.

There were 93 patients in the study who had an MRI and echocardiogram of their heart after a stroke.  MRI detected nearly twice as many potential causes of stroke originating from the heart compared to echocardiography. MRI also detected significant heart conditions that predispose a patient to stroke in 30 percent of patients compared to echocardiography.

"By using cardiac MRI and echocardiography to assess stroke patients, we have two sets of eyes: two ways to see what is causing the stroke to provide the best immediate care, and two ways to see what problems lie ahead for this patient that we could prevent with better long-term care," Sheehan added. "The earlier we can detect underlying cardiac problems, the more quickly we can intervene to prevent future strokes. One stroke is more than enough. The chances of experiencing another stroke can be dramatically reduced by taking appropriate actions."

More information can be found at http://www.SIRweb.org.

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                  MRI And Echocardiography