Doctors know that every minute counts when it comes to treating a stroke.
Although the drug is only recommended for use within three hours of stroke onset, doctors have had some success in treating patients within a four-hour window. Such a map could help physicians determine if brain tissue is still at risk and should be treated or if the tissue has already died and treatment would not help. In treating stroke, every minute is crucial in limiting permanent brain damage. A report on the computer program appears in this month's Stroke .