Many people know what the signs of a stroke are so this article will discuss what diagnostic tests to expect once you are in the hospital regardless of whether you are ultimately diagnosed with a TIA or stroke.  

Strokes otherwise known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or brain attack occur when blood flow is obstructed to the brain causing permanent brain tissue death. The difference between a “mini stroke” or TIA (transient ischemic attack) is that no permanent brain damage occurs.

Strokes are caused by either a blood clot or a hemorrhage. Of the two, a blood clot is more common than a bleed (80%). In order to distinguish between the two types of stroke, the first diagnostic test your doctors will order will be a CT scan of the brain to see what damage, if any, has been caused and where that occurred.

If the CT scan is due to a bleed, this will show up very quickly. However it can take up to 48 hours for changes on the CT scan to show if the cause is due to a clot. This is why a CT scan is repeated especially if symptoms do not resolve. An MRI may be done to clarify the situation.

Other diagnostic tests to help determine the cause, as well as to assess further risks, include a carotid ultrasound, and an echocardiogram and an EKG. 

The carotid ultrasound is done to see if the arteries that supply blood to your brain are blocked. Depending on the degree of blockage, doctors will determine if a carotid endarterectomy would be appropriate for you. This is a fairly straight-forward procedure in which the plaque is removed from the carotid arteries.

The purpose of the echocardiogram is to take a look at the blood flow through the heart to see if there are any abnormalities that may be causing blood clots. An echocardiogram is really just an ultrasound of the heart. For the same reason, an EKG is done to see if there are conduction abnormalities such as atrial fibrillation or bradycardia (a decreased heart rate) that my have caused a stroke/TIA.

These are the most common diagnostic tests to expect once you have symptoms of a TIA/stroke. Remember, if you have any signs, it is important to call 911 even if your symptoms quickly resolve because there are treatments that will help minimize the risk of further TIAs or stroke.