ABSTRACT
Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) often occur suddenly and abruptly, leaving patients with long-lasting disabilities that place a huge emotional and economic burden on everyone involved. CVAs result when emboli or thrombi travel to the brain and impede blood flow; the subsequent lack of oxygen supply leads to ischemia and eventually tissue infarction. The most important factor determining the prognosis of CVA patients is time, specifically the time from the onset of disease to treatment. Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted neuroimaging alleviates the time constraints of analysis faced using traditional diagnostic imaging modalities, thus shortening the time from diagnosis to treatment. Numerous recent studies support the increased accuracy and processing capabilities of AI-assisted imaging modalities. However, the learning curve is steep, and huge barriers still exist preventing a full-scale implementation of this technology. Thus, the potential for AI to revolutionize medicine and healthcare delivery demands attention. This paper aims to elucidate the progress of AI-powered imaging in CVA diagnosis while considering traditional imaging techniques and suggesting methods to overcome adoption barriers in the hope that AI-assisted neuroimaging will be considered normal practice in the near future. There are multiple modalities for AI neuroimaging, all of which require collecting sufficient data to establish inclusive, accurate, and uniform detection platforms. Future efforts must focus on developing methods for data harmonization and standardization. Furthermore, transparency in the explainability of these technologies needs to be established to facilitate trust between physicians and AI-powered technology. This necessitates considerable resources, both financial and expertise wise which are not available everywhere.
ABSTRACT
Acute stroke and the transposition of great arteries are two distinct medical entities that rarely intersect in clinical practice. Acute stroke, a devastating neurological event, occurs due to a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain, leading to focal neurological deficits. On the other hand, the transposition of great arteries is a congenital heart defect characterized by a complete reversal of the aorta and pulmonary artery, resulting in abnormal blood circulation. Traditionally, transposition of great arteries is diagnosed in infancy and managed with surgical interventions. However, instances of this condition being discovered in adulthood are exceedingly rare. We present the case of a 35-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with acute stroke symptoms such as sudden-onset left-sided weakness and speech difficulties. Upon further investigation, we uncovered an unexpected finding of congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries, a congenital heart defect usually diagnosed in infancy. The patient's medical history was unremarkable for cardiovascular issues, making this association even more intriguing. The clinical course of the patient involved immediate management of the acute stroke, followed by comprehensive cardiac evaluations to assess the implications of the transposition of great arteries. Cardiac imaging revealed anatomical variations and hemodynamic consequences, prompting a multidisciplinary approach to address both conditions.
ABSTRACT
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune illness with a wide range of symptoms. Tissue-binding autoantibodies and intricate immune complexes are responsible for the initial damage to organs and cellular structures. Dermatological signs, particularly digital gangrene and ulcers, are uncommon in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus and often appear in the advanced stages of the disease. In this discussion, we present an unusual example of early-onset digital gangrene and ulcers in a young kid with systemic lupus erythematosus. It is unusual because SLE is mostly seen in adult patients, but here the patient is a seven-year-old boy who went to the doctor because he had urticarial rashes all over his body and face, skin desquamation, and sporadic fever episodes. The preliminary evaluation had difficulty separating this presentation from acute urticaria. However, further diagnostic testing and serological analysis confirmed the patient's SLE diagnosis. The distal regions of the fingers developed digital gangrene, ulceration, and vasculitis. Clinical and serological tests were used to confirm the diagnosis. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-ribonuclear protein (Anti-RNP) antibodies, anti-Smith (Anti-Sm) antibodies, and anti-Sjögren's syndrome-related antigen A (Anti-SS-A) antibodies were all positive in the patient. This example emphasizes the critical need to recognize the unusual and severe signs of SLE in medical practice.