Stroke Assessment Testing

Trans-cranial Doppler (TCD)
TCD uses sound waves to measure blood flow through the major vessels in the brain.  It is useful in evaluating patients with ischemic stroke, and sub-arachnoid hemorrhage.  It is also helpful in identifying patients at risk for cerebral vasospasm (vessel narrowing).

CT
CT (also known as CAT scan) is a series of X-ray pictures of the skull and brain.  In the emergency department, this is usually one of the first tests done to help identify areas of abnormalities in the brain, particularly a ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhage).

Huntington Hospital has a 320 detector multi-modal CT imaging (whole-organ imaging) –the highest level CT scanner available in the country.  This scanner is capable of performing CT angiograms and CT perfusion studies.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
MRI uses a large magnetic field to produce an image of the brain. Like the CT scan, it shows the location and extent of brain injury.

Carotid Ultrasound
Ultrasound imaging is a noninvasive medical test of the body's two carotid arteries, which are located on each side of the neck.  These arteries carry blood from the heart to the brain.  Through the use of high-frequency sound waves, carotid ultrasound testing can provide detailed pictures of these blood vessels and information about the blood flowing through them such as a narrowing of the carotid arteries which may lead to a stroke.

Electrocardiogram
Also known as EKG or ECG, an electrocardiogram determines the electrical activity of the heart and its rate and rhythm. If you have a pacemaker, the EKG can evaluate its effect on the heart.  This is important in detecting abnormalities such as atrial fibrillation.