Study could help stroke victims

A pioneering study of scanning techniques could help save the brain tissue of stroke patients, scientists have said.

Researchers are scanning patients' brains three times in the month after their stroke to determine whether any damaged tissue can be salvaged.

As well as helping to repair damage, it is hoped the experiment will improve scanning methods and increase understanding of the chemical changes that take place in a stroke victim's brain.

It could also lead to the development of a blood test by paramedics to quickly work out how far a stroke has progressed.

Scientists from the universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow began their research in the summer and it is still ongoing. They hope to examine around 80 patients.

The study is part of an initiative between all of Scotland's medical schools called Sinapse, the Scottish Imaging Network: A Platform for Excellence.

The project brings together brain-scanning experts to take part in research and share their expertise.

Researchers hailed the stroke study as the "holy grail" of treatment for the condition.

Professor Joanna Wardlaw, a brain-scanning expert at the University of Edinburgh, said: "For some patients, the damage caused by stroke is unfortunately permanent and irreversible.

"But for others, we could make a real difference if we could identify which areas of the brain are salvageable."

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