Cardiac Imaging After Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

Echocardiography remains the primary imaging method for cardiac work-up after stroke. Recent echocardiography studies further demonstrated promising results regarding the prediction of non-permanent atrial fibrillation after ischemic stroke. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography have been tested for their diagnostic value, in particular in patients with cryptogenic stroke, and can be considered as second line methods, providing complementary information in selected stroke patients. Cardiac imaging after ischemic stroke or TIA reveals a potential causal condition in a subset of patients. Whether systematic application of cardiac imaging improves outcome after stroke remains to be established.