MORNING CATEGORICAL COURSE Hot Clinical Topics and Research Areas for Physicists and Engineers Brain: anatomy, function, pathology and challenges Stroke: "A Brain Attack"

Stroke, or brain attack, is a major cause of death and disability. It is characterized by the sudden loss of neurologic function. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic stroke is caused by arterial obstruction, which results in ischemia. Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding from ruptured blood vessels. Since ischemic stroke accounts for over 80 percent of all cases, we will focus on this entity during this categorical course. We will discuss the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke, its symptomatology, and, finally, the future direction of imaging studies.