Grant: Operating Grant

Stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIA) are both due to a blockage in an artery in the brain. When it occurs, part of a patient's brain does not work properly giving them symptoms such as an inability to move one side or to speak. In the best case, this resolves quickly and we call this a TIA. In less fortunate patients the deficits may remain in mild form (minor stroke). Having a TIA or a minor stroke is a serious event because it is a warning that a second more severe stroke might happen. There are medicines that can reduce the risk of a second stroke. Because of this, patients are advised to go immediately to the emergency room if they present symptoms such as weakness, numbness, loss of vision or dizziness, as these may be symptoms of a TIA or minor stroke. Many patients with symptoms of dizziness or numbness have not actually had a stroke, but have a different disease that needs another treatment such as migraine or carpal tunnel syndrome. Even for experts the clinical history and examination are frequently not enough to decide exactly what just happened. MRI is one way to confirm the diagnosis of stroke. Even if the symptoms have resolved, in many patients we can see damage on an MRI scan of their brain proving that there was a blood clot in their brain. This finding confirms the diagnosis of TIA or minor stroke and can allow us to treat patients correctly. Patients with transient deficits that are not currently considered high risk (patients without symptoms of weakness of speech difficulties) will be enrolled and have an MRI scan of their brain completed within 7 days of the event to look for signs of brain damage (i.e a stroke). Patients will then be followed to see if they have complications such as a second stroke or a heart attack. When the study is complete we will then look back at exactly what symptoms put patients at risk for damage on their MRI scan. This will allow more precise diagnosis for patients and better use of stroke treatments.