Commentary. CT stroke window settings: an unfortunate misleading misnomer?

This commentary will discuss the use of the "stroke window" settings in the evaluation of CT head examinations and advocate their more widespread use in patients who present with neurological symptoms in addition to patients with suspected stroke. We present examples of the use of stroke windows, which revealed subtle abnormalities that were not readily apparent on default brain window settings and were subsequently confirmed on MRI or follow-up CT. As a result we suggest that stroke windows should be routine in the review of all CT head examinations.