Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Differential diagnosis
| Disease
|
Findings
|
| Ischemic stroke
|
- Occurs when a clot or a mass clogs a blood vessel and cutting off the blood flow to brain cells
- May present as a thrombotic (thrombus develops at the clogged part of the vessel)or embolic strokes (blood clot that forms at another locations usually the heart and large arteries of the upper chest and neck, and travels to the brain)
- Urgent evaluation with brain / neurovascular imaging (such as MRI, CT, CTA, MRA), cardiac, and metabolic evaluation is often necessary
|
| transient ischemic attack (TIA)
|
- Caused by a temporary clot which often called a “mini stroke”
- Occurs rapidly and presents as a sudden onset of a focal neurologic symptom / sign lasting less than 24 hours
- Urgent evaluation with brain / neurovascular imaging (such as MRI, CT, CTA, MRA), cardiac, and metabolic evaluation is often necessary
|
| Acute hypertensive crisis/Malignant hypertension
|
- Presents as significantly elevated blood pressure (systolic pressure ≥180 and/or diastolic pressure ≥120 mmHg) with or wihout acute end-organ injury
- Urgent evaluation with MRI and CT of the brain, serum creatinine, urinalysis, cardiac (EKG, chest x ray, and cardiac enzymes) and metabolic evaluation is often necessary
|
| Sentinel headache
|
- Caused by small aneurysmal leaks into the subarachnoid space
- Presents as a episode of headache similar to that accompanying subarachnoid hemorrhage (days to weeks prior to aneurysm rupture) and focal neurologic symptoms and signs are usually absent
|
| Sinusitis
|
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| Primary thunderclap headache
|
|
| Pituitary apoplexy
|
- Caused by pituitary gland infarct or hemorrhage secondary to pitutiery adenoma
- Presents with acute headache, change in mental status, ophthalmoplegia, and decreased visual acuity
- Brain CT and MRI are the preferred imaging techniques
|
| Cerebral venous thrombosis
|
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| Colloid cyst of the third ventricle
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| Cervical artery dissection
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- It usulay occurs spontaneously or after head and neck injury
- Presents with gradual onset head and neck pain with a local manifestations (such as Horner syndrome, pulsatile tinnitus, bruit, or cranial neuropathies)
- Neuroimagings are usually preferred (brain MRI with MRA and cranial CT with CTA)
|
| Spontaneous intracranial hypotension
|
- Presents with orthostatic headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diplopia, interscapular pain
- Caused by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage from spinal meningeal defects or dural tears
- Brain MRI is the preferred imaging techniques
|
References
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