Head Pulse for Ischemic Stroke Detection

Accurate diagnosis of stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) is an essential step in providing acute stroke care to a community. The gold-standard for diagnosis LVO is brain imaging, which is impractical in the pre-hospital setting. A non-invasive method to detect LVO is needed. Using highly sensitive accelerometers, one can measure the "HeadPulse"- tiny forces exerted on the skull from the cardiac contraction. This study tests the hypothesis that LVO alters the HeadPulse characteristically. Analysis of these data along with the subjects vascular status (LVO vs. non-LVO as measured by CT angiography) will be used to create a model that can predict LVO status in suspect stroke subjects.