title: Pattern of computerized tomography of the brain findings in stroke patients in Sokoto, northwestern Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke is a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Therapeutic decision regarding its management requires prompt and accurate diagnosis as well as exclusion of other conditions mimicking this condition. Computerized tomography (CT) scan has been found to be the gold standard in distinguishing primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) from cerebral infarction (CI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of CT findings in 128 patients who presented in the Radiology Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital with clinical diagnosis of stroke was undertaken over a period of 1 year (from December 2008 to November 2009). The following data were recorded; age, sex, clinical diagnosis, and CT findings. All the CT examinations were performed on a Neusoft C3000 multidetector spiral CT. Evaluation was done by consultant radiologists in the department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 128 patients seen within the period under review, 84 (65.6%) were males while 44 (34.4%) were females. Age range was 4-85 years (mean 49.52, standard deviation (SD) 15.11), while 61 (47.7%) of the patients were in the age group of 41-60 years. Eighty-six patients (67.1%) had cerebral infarction, 38 (29.7%) had intracerebral hemorrhage, while one (0.01%) had subarachnoid hemorrhage. Three patients (0.02%) had normal brain CT findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cerebral infarction is the most common form of stroke in this study. CT is essential in establishing the type of stroke, which subsequently determines the type of intervention as well as follow-up evaluation the patient may require.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Garba H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Yunusa
authors.forename: Sule A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Saidu
authors.forename: Sadisu M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ma'aji
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danfulani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult