Is it stroke, or something else?
Rapid response to stroke is crucial, but the rush to treat can endanger patients with conditions that mimic stroke. Here’s how to more readily spot the difference.
FIGURE 1
2 patients with common symptoms, vastly different diagnoses
The markedly abnormal perfusion (arrows) this CT image reveals corresponds to an acute occlusion of the left vertebral artery and a subsequent infarct.
An axial postcontrast MRI reveals multiple lesions in the left temporal lobe (arrows) in a patient with rapid-onset mental changes. The diagnosis: cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.
CORRESPONDENCE
Konrad C. Nau, MD, West Virginia University Department of Family Medicine-Eastern Division, 171 Taylor Street, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425; nauk@rcbhsc.wvu.edu
