Recent research has found that routine early use of MRI in children with suspected ischemic stroke could speed diagnosis and treatment. This message was underscored by the experience of 13-year-old Isaac Webber in the U.K., who, as The Guardian reports, had a close call when his stroke diagnosis was delayed.
When Isaac’s parents realized something was wrong, he was taken to a hospital and underwent CT, which showed no abnormality. A pediatrician requested an MRI scan, but the request was rejected by a radiologist until a stroke specialist intervened. Five hours after symptom onset, an MRI was finally ordered, the stroke was diagnosed and thrombolysis was administered. Isaac survived, but faces long-term difficulties writing and reading.
For more from The Guardian on Isaac’s experience and the questions it raises about pediatric stroke diagnosis and treatment, follow the link below:
Evan joined TriMed in 2011, writing primarily for Health Imaging. Prior to diving into medical journalism, Evan worked for the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis. He also has worked in public relations and education. Evan studied journalism at the University of Missouri, with an emphasis on broadcast media.