CT perfusion in acute stroke.

As new treatments are developed for stroke, the potential clinical applications of CT perfusion (CTP) imaging in the diagnosis, triage, and therapeutic monitoring of these diseases are certain to increase. Technical advances in scanner hardware and software should no doubt continue to increase the speed, coverage, and resolution of CTP imaging. CTP offers the promise of efficient use of imaging resources and, potentially, of decreased morbidity. Most importantly, current CT technology already permits the incorporation of CTP as part of an all-in-one acute stroke examination to answer the four fundamental questions of stroke triage quickly and accurately, further increasing the contribution of imaging to the diagnosis and treatment of acute stroke.