[Acute stroke imaging].

Acute stroke imaging. Imaging, within the first 24 hours of stroke, supports its clinical diagnosis and allows a careful patient selection for treatment. It excludes hemorrhage and stroke mimics, provides an estimate of potentially salvageable brain tissue, locates and characterizes the intra-arterial thrombus before treatment decision in acute ischaemic stroke. In cerebral hemorrhage, it plays a pivotal role in establishing the diagnosis and identifying causes and complications. We outline the role of neuroimaging applied to patients presenting with acute stroke within the first 24 hours.