This book does much more than its title would suggest. Although mainly concerned with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in stroke, the text actually covers single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging as well and containing one of the best chapters ever written on computed tomography (CT) in stroke. The approach and content reflect the predominance of neurologists among the editors and authors, with only a few radiologists, and is really aimed at neurologists and stroke physicians.

The scene is set in the first chapter with a discussion of the limitations of clinical diagnosis of stroke and the specific role that imaging can play in diagnosing the type and cause of stroke. There is a superb chapter on CT in acute stroke, which exemplifies how …