Background A variety of tests are used in clinical practice to help the diagnostic process and so improve patient care. Many aspects of stroke management depend on accurate and rapid diagnosis. Brain imaging, including CT or MRI, is necessary to identify the location and extent of the cerebral lesion, and to determine the pathological type of stroke and its likely cause. Current treatments - such as thrombolysis - for ischaemic stroke have increased the need for clear evidence on which imaging test is optimal for diagnosis in the acute phase of stroke. Systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy may provide evidence on the best use of a diagnostic test in clinical practice and help clinicians to decide among alternative tests. The Cochrane Collaboration has recently included systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy within its remit. However, to prepare Cochrane systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy is challenging because the methods for such reviews are still in a state of flux. Materials and methods The research work undertaken for this thesis addresses four relevant methodological aspects of such reviews and, I hope, will contribute to informing the development of the methods for Cochrane systematic reviews of test accuracy: i) I assessed the quality of reporting of imaging studies in stroke medicine published between 1995 and 2008 with the current STAndards for the Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) criteria; ii) I assessed the magnitude of publication bias in diagnostic accuracy studies in stroke medicine, by reviewing all diagnostic abstracts presented at two international stroke meetings between 1995 and 2004 and so evaluating the characteristics and findings of the identified abstracts; iii) I have evaluated the methods for preparing reviews of test accuracy by undertaking a pilot review according to the draft recommendations of the Cochrane Diagnostic Test Accuracy Working Group; iv) I conducted a survey to assess a) how well clinicians and health professionals interpret findings of Cochrane systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy presented in summary documents; and b) what is the best format for summarising findings of Cochrane reviews of diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions In conclusion, methodological issues concerning the validity and reliability of findings of studies included in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy remain of fundamental importance. More empirical evidence is needed to address potential biases such as reporting bias and publication bias. To allow dissemination of diagnostic reviews findings in clinical practice better ways of communicating main characteristics and key results of systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy should be considered. In the current literature, the quality of reporting and methodological quality of imaging studies for the diagnosis of stroke is less than satisfactory and leaves room for improvement. This is worrying, especially if current health imaging policies are in fact based on poor quality evidence and hence scarce health resources may not being deployed as effectively as they could be.

Gao Shan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 191-194). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract in English --- p.i / Abstract in Chinese --- p.iii / Acknowledgement --- p.v / Introduction --- p.vi / Contents --- p.viii / List of tables --- p.xiv / List of figures --- p.xv / Chapter Chapter One --- Literature Review / Chapter 1.1 --- Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) Stenos --- p.is / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Prevalence of atherosclerotic MCA stenosis --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Methods for diagnosis of MCA stenosis --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Possible mechanism and course of stroke with MCA stenosis --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Treatment and prevention of stroke in patients with MCA stenosis --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2 --- Microembolic Signal (MES) Detection / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Introduction --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Technology --- p.9 / Characteristics of MES / Factors that affect MES detection / Problems of technology / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Clinical application --- p.15 / MES originating from atherosclerotic carotid artery stenosis / MES detection in internal carotid endarterectomy (CEA) / MES detection in patients with MCA stenosis / Predicting value and application in therapeutic trial / References --- p.19 / Chapter Chapter Two --- General Methodology / Chapter 2.1 --- Transcranial Doppler (TCD) Diagnosis for Intracranial Artery Stenosis / Chapter 2.1.1 --- TCD spectrum and common parameters --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Emitting and receiving transducers --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Pulsitility index (PI) --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Insonation depth and flow direction --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Continuous wave (CW) and pulsed wave (PW) --- p.33 / Chapter 2.1.6 --- Normal intracranial arteries through temporal and suboccipital window --- p.33 / Chapter 2.1.7 --- Normal intracranial arteries through orbital window --- p.36 / Chapter 2.1.8 --- Normal extracranial arteries --- p.36 / Chapter 2.1.9 --- TCD diagnosis for intracranial artery stenosis --- p.39 / Chapter 2.1.10 --- Example of multiple intracranial arteries stenosis --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2 --- Microembolic Signal (MES) Detection / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Device of MES monitoring --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Insonated artery and depth --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Axis length of the sample volume --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) time window overlap --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Distinguishing embolic signal and artifact with two-gate transducer --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- Measurements of embolic signal and threshold --- p.47 / References --- p.45 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Microembolic Signal (MES) in Patients with Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) Stenosis / Chapter 3.1 --- Abstract --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2 --- Introduction --- p.51 / Chapter 3.3 --- Methodology --- p.51 / Patients / Severity of stroke and clinical course / Diagnosis for middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis / Microembolic signal (MES) detection / Statistical analysis / Chapter 3.4 --- Results --- p.55 / Baseline information of patients / Prevalence of MES / Relationship between presence of MES and severity of MCA stenosis / Correlation between presence of MES and clinical course in 85 symptomatic patients / Correlation between the count of MES and clinical course in 85 symptomatic patients / Correlation between the presence of MES and further ischemic stroke / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.63 / Prevalence of MES / Association between severity of stroke and presence or the number of MES / Predictive value of MES for further stroke / References --- p.66 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Mechanisms of Acute Cerebral Infarction in Patients with Cerebral Artery Stenosis: a Diffusion-weighted Imaging and Microemboli Monitoring study / Chapter 4.1 --- Abstract / Chapter 4.2 --- Introduction --- p.72 / Chapter 4.3 --- Methodology --- p.73 / Patients / Microembolic signal (MES) detection by transcranial Doppler (TCD) / "Magnetic resonance imaging (DWI, MRI and MRA)" / Statistical analysis / Chapter 4.4 --- Results --- p.77 / Severity of MCA stenosis on MRA and pattern of infarct on DWI / Frequency and count of MES and its relationship with multiple and borderzone infarction on DWI / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussion --- p.79 / Frequency of MES / Pattern of cerebral infarcts on DWI / Relationship between MES and multiple infarcts on DWI / References --- p.83 / Chapter Chapter Five / Chapter Chapter Five-I --- Novel Observations of the Characteristics of Real Time Genesis of Thromboembolism in Middle Cerebral Artery Stenosis Detected by Transcranial Doppler / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Abstract --- p.90 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Introduction --- p.91 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Methodology --- p.91 / Characteristics of patients / "MRA, DWI and conventional TCD data" / MES monitoring method and overall data / Neuroimaging and MES monitoring data in all five patients / Signal analysis in off-line / Confirmation test for the origin of MES / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Results --- p.104 / Frequency of three special phenomena / Characteristics of three special phenomena / Results of confirmation test for embolic source / Chapter 5.1.5 --- Discussion --- p.133 / Occurrence of MES with flow velocity change simultaneously / MES splatter / Bi-directional low frequency (S-velocity) vibration / Testing for source of MES detected from MCA stenosis / References --- p.139 / Chapter Chapter Five-II --- Characteristics of Microembolic Signals Detected near Its Origin from the Middle Cerebral Artery Stenosis / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Abstract --- p.143 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Introduction --- p.144 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Methodology --- p.144 / Patients / Microembolic signal (MES) detection / Classification of MES / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Results --- p.145 / Types of MES detected from MCA stenosis / Characteristics of three types of MES / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Discussion --- p.157 / Emboli moving from vessel wall to the center / Emboli vibration / About calculating the time delay between two channels / References --- p.160 / Chapter Chapter Five-III --- "Hemodynamic change,microembolic signal counts and use of antithrombotic treatments" / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Abstract --- p.163 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Introduction --- p.164 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Methodology --- p.164 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Results / "The relationship among flow velocity, the number of MES and time since symptom onset" --- p.165 / Patient one / Patient two / Patient three / Chapter 5.3.5 --- Discussion / Association between flow velocity or MES change and different anticoagulants in acute stage / Progression of MCA stenosis after acute stage / Stability of MCA atherosclerotic stenosis / References --- p.173 / Chapter Chapter Six --- The Optimal Values of Flow Velocity on Transcranial Dopplerin Grading Severity of Middle Cerebral Artery Stenosis in Comparison With Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Chapter 6.1 --- Abstract --- p.179 / Chapter 6.2 --- Introduction --- p.180 / Chapter 6.3 --- Methodology --- p.180 / Patients / TCD examination / Grading of MCA stenosis on MRA / Statistical analysis / Chapter 6.4 --- Results --- p.182 / Detection of >50% MCA stenosis according to flow velocity / Grading severity of MCA stenosis by flow velocity / Chapter 6.5 --- Discussion --- p.186 / Reliability of TCD diagnosis for MCA stenosis / Grading MCA stenosis according to flow velocity on TCD / References / Abbreviations --- p.189 / Publications --- p.191

A Stroke can affect different parts of the human body depending on the area of brain effected; our research focuses on upper limb motor dysfunction for stroke patients. In current practice, ordinal scale systems are used for conducting physical assessment of upper limb impairment. The reliability of these assessments is questionable, since their coarse ratings cannot reliably distinguish between the different levels of performance. This thesis describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a novel system to facilitate stroke diagnosis which relies on data collected with an innovative KINARM robotic tool. This robotic tool allows for an objective quantification of motor function and performance assessment for stroke patients. The main methodology for the research is Case Based Reasoning (CBR) - an effective paradigm of artificial intelligence that relies on the principle that a new problem is solved by observing similar, previously encountered problems and adapting their known solutions. A CBR system was designed and implemented for a repository of stroke subjects who had an explicit diagnosis and prognosis. For a new stroke patient, whose diagnosis was yet to be confirmed and who had an indefinite prognosis, the CBR model was effectively used to retrieve analogous cases of previous stroke patients. These similar cases provide useful information to the clinicians, facilitating them in reaching a potential solution for stroke diagnosis and also a means to validate other imaging tests and clinical assessments to confirm the diagnosis and prognosis. / Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-27 11:14:04.85

Background : L’accident Vasculaire Cérébral (AVC) est la deuxième cause de décès au Liban et dans le monde. Il existe une pénurie d'informations fiables concernant l'épidémiologie de l'AVC au Liban. L’objectif de cette étude est d’identifier les facteurs de risque et les symptômes d'AVC dans la population libanaise et de développer un score pour la future prédiction de l'AVC et un score pour le diagnostic de l'AVC en situation d'urgence.Méthodes : Une étude cas-témoin a été menée pour la génération des scores. Les données ont été collectées à l’aide d’une fiche de collecte de données conçue dans deux hôpitaux tertiaires au Liban entre le 1er janvier 2012 et le 31 décembre 2014. Une régression logistique a permis de déterminer les facteurs de risque et les symptômes d'AVC. Les coefficients arrondis ont engendré un score pour le risque d’AVC (ROSS) et un score de diagnostic de l'AVC (DS-Stroke). Une autre étude cas-témoin a été menée pour la validation des scores, où les données ont été collectées à l'aide d'un questionnaire normalisé dans cinq différents hôpitaux tertiaires entre le 1er janvier 2015 et le 31 décembre 2016. Le ROSS et le DS-Stroke ont été validés en les comparant au diagnostic final des hôpitaux.Résultats : En total, 732 participants ont été inclus dans l'étude de génération du score (202 cas d'AVC et 530 contrôles sans AVC) et 650 participants ont été inclus dans l'étude de validation du score (205 cas et 445 contrôles sans AVC). Plusieurs facteurs de risque et symptômes ont été associés à l'AVC au Liban. Le ROSS et le DS-Stroke ont été construits et évalués avec des hautes zones sous la courbe et des valeurs négatives et positives prédictives élevées.Conclusion : Le ROSS est un bon outil d'évaluation des risques pour améliorer la prévision de l'AVC dans la population libanaise et serait particulièrement intéressant dans le cadre des soins primaires afin de réduire l'incidence de l'AVC. Le DS-Stroke est un autre outil précieux à utiliser pour le diagnostic de l'AVC à l'urgence et serait intéressant pour l'utilisateur afin d'avoir un diagnostic précis de l'AVC, appeler à d'autres tests d'urgence si nécessaire et d’accélérer le traitement pour les patients AVC. / Background: Stroke is the second leading cause of death in Lebanon and worldwide. There is a scarcity of reliable information about the epidemiology of stroke in Lebanon. We aim to identify stroke risk factors and symptoms in the Lebanese population and develop a score for future stroke prediction and another for stroke diagnosis at emergency.Methods: A case-control study was conducted for the scores generation. Data were collected through a designed data collection sheet at two tertiary hospitals in Lebanon between January 1st, 2012 and December 31st, 2014. A logistic regression determined stroke risk factors and symptoms and the rounded coefficients generated a Risk of Stroke Score (ROSS) and a Diagnosis Score for Stroke (DS-Stroke). Another case-control study was conducted for the scores validation where data were collected through a standardized questionnaire at five different tertiary hospitals between January 1st, 2015 and December 31st, 2016. ROSS and DS-Stroke were validated by comparing them to the hospitals final diagnosis.Results: In total, 732 participants were included in the score generation study (202 stroke cases and 530 stroke-free controls) and 650 participants were included in the score validation study (205 cases and 445 stroke-free controls). Many risk factors and symptoms were found to be associated with stroke in Lebanon. ROSS and DS-Stroke were constructed and validated with high areas under the curve and high negative and positive prediction values.Conclusion: ROSS is a good risk assessment tool for use to improve the prediction of stroke in the Lebanese population and would be of particular interest in the primary care setting to reduce stroke incidence. DS-Stroke is another valuable tool to use for stroke diagnosis at emergency and would be interesting to user in order to have an accurate diagnosis of stroke, call for further emergency testing if necessary and speed up the treatment for stroke patients.