Role of Radiology in the Cardiovascular and Neurological Investigation of Ischemic Stroke
Authors/Creators
- Rodrigo Lauretto1
- Maria Victoria Abuchaim Campos2
- Guilherme Guissone Martins3
- André Bouquet Ferreira da Silva1
- Breno Nunes Nogueira4
- Maria Eduarda Rodrigues Vale1
- Isabelly Sant'Ana de Almeida4
- Thais Lemos de Oliveira Silva4
- Vitória de Almeida Rolim Rabelo4
- Vitor Dácio Medeiros5
- et al. Show all 29 authors
- Rodrigo Lauretto1
- Maria Victoria Abuchaim Campos2
- Guilherme Guissone Martins3
- André Bouquet Ferreira da Silva1
- Breno Nunes Nogueira4
- Maria Eduarda Rodrigues Vale1
- Isabelly Sant'Ana de Almeida4
- Thais Lemos de Oliveira Silva4
- Vitória de Almeida Rolim Rabelo4
- Vitor Dácio Medeiros5
- Bárbara Fernandes Dias dos Santos1
- Maria Layana de Queiroz Oliveira1
- Tiago Abreu de Morais1
- Sarah Campos de Angelo1
- Luiza Nogueira de Souza Paz1
- Filipe JL Garcia3
- Liliana M. Occulate6
- Amanda Batista Ferreira da Silva7
- Délio Tiago Martins Malaquias3
- Lucas de Souza Vieira3
- Mateus Soares Santos Araújo8
- João Marcelo Vieira Morais8
- Rodrigo dos Santos Oliveira Alves8
- Vinicius Lopes Alves9
- Thiago Augusto Rochetti Bezerra10
- Erik Franklin A Silva2
- Andréa Pereira da Silva9
- Fabricio Uchôa Garcia11
- Sadrak Horácio Cassoma11
- 1. Nove de Julho University (UNINOVE), Mauá Campus, Mauá, São Paulo, Brazil.
- 2. University of Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP), Guarujá Campus, Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil
- 3. University of Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP), Guarujá Campus, Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil.
- 4. University of Western São Paulo (UNOESTE), Guarujá Campus, Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil.
- 5. University of Western São Paulo (UNOESTE), Guarujá Campus, Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil
- 6. Central University of Paraguay (UCP), School of Medicine, Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay.
- 7. Federal University of Roraima (UFRR), Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil.
- 8. Euro-American University Center (UNIEURO), Brasília, Federal District, Brazil.
- 9. University of the Integration of the Americas (UNIDA), Paraguay.
- 10. Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
- 11. Faculty of the Americas (FAM), São Paulo, Brazil.
Description
Ischemic stroke (IS) is a time-dependent neurological emergency in which imaging methods play a fundamental role from initial diagnosis through etiological investigation and secondary prevention. The aim of this review was to analyze the contribution of neuroimaging, vascular assessment, and cardiovascular imaging to the management of ischemic stroke. This is a descriptive and analytical systematic literature review conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 recommendations. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, BVS, and SciELO were searched, prioritizing publications from 2021 to 2026. The results showed that non-contrast computed tomography remains the main initial method for excluding hemorrhage and assessing early ischemic changes, whereas CT angiography plays a decisive role in identifying large-vessel occlusions and planning thrombectomy. CT perfusion and magnetic resonance imaging expand the assessment of the ischemic core, penumbra, and tissue viability, particularly in late therapeutic windows or when onset time is unknown. In cardiovascular investigation, echocardiography remains central and is complemented by cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for identifying intracardiac thrombi, cardiomyopathies, interatrial septal abnormalities, and aortic sources of embolism. It is concluded that the ideal approach should be multimodal and individualized, integrating cerebral, vascular, and cardiovascular findings. Rational and sequential use of imaging methods can optimize reperfusion, improve etiological accuracy, and guide secondary prevention strategies in ischemic stroke.