This could be one of the key breakthroughs:
Does a CT scan always diagnose a stroke?
No.
Even if you are having a stroke, it might not be seen on a CT scan for several reasons. In many cases, the involved area of the brain does not appear abnormal for the first several hours after the onset of stroke. Also, the stroke region may be too small to be seen on CT scan, or it may be in a part of the brain (brain stem or cerebellum) which the CT scan does not image well.
Depending on the results of the CT scan, your doctor may wish to obtain additional testing, including an MRI scan. MRI can be more accurate for stroke and other conditions, but it takes longer and is often not available under emergency conditions.
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