title: Diffusion-weighted imaging in transient neurological attacks.
abstract: Transient ischemic attack (TIA) can be difficult to diagnose. Episodes of acute atypical or nonfocal neurological symptoms, referred to as transient neurological attack (TNA), are as prevalent as TIAs. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) provides evidence of acute cerebral ischemia in a third of TIA patients. We now report that DWI shows acute ischemia in 23% of patients clinically diagnosed as TNA by experienced stroke neurologists. This questions the accuracy of clinically diagnosing TIA and suggests added value for early magnetic resonance imaging after an episode of acute onset atypical or nonfocal neurological symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Center for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: van Rooij
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Vermeer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.|Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Center of Postgraduate Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Bozena M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Góraj
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Koudstaal
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Center for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Edo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Center for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank-Erik
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: de Leeuw
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Center for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ewoud J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: van Dijk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity