title: Stroke Bricks - spatial brain regions to assess ischaemic stroke localisation.
abstract: Computer-aided analysis of non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) images for rapid diagnosis of ischaemic stroke is based on the augmented visualisation of evolving ischaemic lesions. Computerised support of NCCT often leads to overinterpretation of ischaemic areas, thus it is of great interest to provide neurologically verified regions in order to improve accuracy of subsequent radiological assessment. We propose Stroke Bricks (StBr) as an arbitrary spatial division of brain tissue into the regions associated with specific clinical symptoms of ischaemic stroke. Neurological stroke deficit is formally translated into respective areas of possible ischaemic lesions. StBr were designed according to formalised mapping of neurological symptoms and were attributed to the uniquely defined areas of impaired blood supply. StBr concept may be useful for an integrated radiological CT-based assessment of suspected stroke cases or can be included into computer-aided tools to optimise the evaluation of stroke site and its extent. These data in turn are appropriable for further diagnosis, predicting the therapeutic outcome as well as for patients' qualification for an appropriate form of reperfusion therapy. The usefulness of StBr was illustrated in the case studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Descriptive and Clinical Anatomy, Centre of Biostructure Research, Medical University of Warsaw Chałubińskiego 5, 02-004 Warsaw Department of Neurosurgery, Bogdanowicz Memorial Hospital, Niekłańska 4/24, 03-924 Warsaw. bjciszek@o2.pl.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ciszek
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jóźwiak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sobieszczuk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Przelaskowski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skadorwa
keywords: brain ischaemia; cerebral arteries; cerebral haemorrhage; computed tomography; ischaemic stroke; stroke