Abstract The aim of this study is to evaluate of the diffusion magnetic resonance imaging with clinical findings for brain stroke patients in Khartoum state, to evaluate the doctor's experience about the diffusion weighted imaging for brain stroke, measure the accuracy of diffusion weighted imaging in detection brain stroke, compare the DWI findings and the conventional MRI protocols findings for brain stroke, determine the most clinical findings for brain stroke and to determine the MRI departments in Khartoum state that using diffusion-weighted imaging.The data of 50 patients undergone MRI brain with DWI was collected from doctors clinic hospital by clinical data sheet and the data were analyzed by Microsoft office Excel and visited ten MRI departments to shows the DWI was apply or not. The results of this study shows 9 (18%) only of patients suspected brain stroke requested for MRI brain with DWI that obtain the deficiency of doctors experience about DWI for stroke, 40 (80%) of strokes diagnosis by DWI that prove the highly accuracy of DWI in detection brain stroke, the conventional MRI protocols show 50 (100%) the same findings in both positive and negative DWI findings, so the conventional MRI protocols can not detect the brain stroke and the most clinical findings for brain stroke are the right/left side weakness 16 (32%) and the right/left side hemiplegia 14 (28%). All the ten MRI departments apply the diffusion weighted imaging and five (50%) of the MRI departments use the DWI as an essential protocol and five (50%) uses DWI only when requested by the doctors.

Table of content

Title Page

Dedication I

Acknowledgement II

English Abstract III

Arabic abstract IV

Table of content V

List of tables VI

List of figures VII

List of abbreviations VIII

Chapter one: Introduction

1.1 Introduction 1-2

1.2 Problem of the study 2

1.3 Objectives 3

1.3.1 General objective 3

1.3.2 Specific objectives 3

1.4 Significance of the study 3

1.5 Overview of the study 3

Chapter two: Theoretical background and Previous studies

2.1 Theoretical background 4-34

2.1.1 Anatomy of the brain 4-15

2.1.2 Physiology of the brain 16-17

2.1.3 Pathology of the brain 18-23

2.1.4 Physics of MRI 24-31

2.1.4.1 Physical principles of MRI 24-29

2.1.4.2 The equipment of MRI 30-31

2.1.5 MRI Technique 32-34

2.2 Previous studies 35-36

Chapter three: Materials and Methods

3.1 Materials 37

3.2 Methods 38-39

Chapter four: Results 40-46

Chapter five: Discussion, Conclusion, Recommendations

5.1 Discussion 47-48

5.2 Conclusion 49

5.3 Recommendations 50

References 51-53

Appendices