Instrumental Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke: The Clinician’s Perspective

It is difficult to estimate the impact of experimental work on mechanisms of induction and protection of cellular damage in the “real world” of neurological diseases. This is particularly difficult for ischemic stroke, although clinicians are now actively collaborating with basic scientists and technologists in order to implement effective therapeutic strategies for stroke victims. Important tasks for the clinician include: (1) the identification of the most appropriate diagnostic techniques, (2) the set up of organized stroke care, and (3) the design and realization of rigorous clinical trials. In the following pages, we review the current options for instrumental diagnosis and treatment of acute ischemic stroke.