Stroke: Sensitivity and Specificity

Introduction: aka cerebrovascular accident. Mostly ischemic, some hemorrhagic. CT detects hemorrhagic stroke with high sensitivity. For history/physical findings to distinguish ischemic from hemorrhagic, see Hemorrhagic Stroke.

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Differential Diagnoses include: Neurocardiogenic Syncope

Prevalence

The sensitivity and specificity of findings for Stroke are listed below. See the left navigation bar to change the display.

Sensitive and Specific Findings

Finding	Sensitivity	Specificity	Comments, Study
MRI Duplicate	97%	100%	DWI sequence. Within 6 hours of presentation. Study: Radiology. 2002 Aug;224(2):353-60. PMID: 12147827

Specific Findings

Finding	Sensitivity	Specificity	Comments, Study
MRI Duplicate	58%	100%	"conventional", i.e. no DWI sequence. Within 6 hours of presentation. Study: Radiology. 2002 Aug;224(2):353-60. PMID: 12147827
Non-contrast Head CT	42%	91%	performed on presentation, or within 6 hours Study: Radiology. 2002 Aug;224(2):353-60. PMID: 12147827

Findings With Unspecified Accuracy

Finding	Sensitivity	Specificity	Comments, Study
Facial nerve paralysis	No accuracy specified.		Study: no study specified.