Internal Medicine Essentials for Clerkship Students

Neurology Section

Approach to Common Neurological Symptoms in Medicine-Use this American Academy of Neurology web site to help you develop a basic, rapid methodology for analyzing neurological symptoms.

Approach to the Altered Mental State (Chapter 61)

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment - Use this table to diagnose delirium.

Drugs to Eliminate - Review this list of drugs that can cause delirium.

Alcohol Withdrawal - Review the clinical features of alcohol withdrawal.

Headache (Chapter 62)

Migraine Treatment - Use this algorithm to manage an acute migraine headache.

Posttest Probability of Migraine Headache - Use this table to calculate the posttest probability of migraine headache based upon historical features.

Detailed Headache History - Use this table to help you collect a detailed headache history.

Headache "Red Flags" - Use this table to help identify headache "red flags" suggesting a serious underlying etiology of headache.

Brain Tumor - View an MRI scan of a primary brain tumor.

Dementia (Chapter 63)

Mini-Mental State Examination - Link to Alzheimer's Society web site to access the Mini-Mental State Examination and related tutorial.

Alzheimer's Disease MRI Scan - View an MRI scan of a patient with Alzheimer's dementia.

Vascular Dementia Diagnosis - Use this table to review the diagnostic criteria for vascular dementia.

Vascular Dementia MRI Scan - View an MRI scan of a patient with vascular dementia.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus MRI Scan - View an MRI scan of a patient with normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Approach to Meningitis and Encephalitis (Chapter 64)

Bacterial Meningitis Algorithm - Use this algorithm to help manage suspected bacterial meningitis.

Differential Diagnosis of Meningitis - Use this table to review the differential diagnosis of meningitis.

Laboratory Studies for Meningitis - Use this table to review selected laboratory studies for suspected meningitis and encephalitis.

Cerebral Spinal Fluid - View a Gram-stain of the cerebral spinal fluid.

Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack (Chapter 65)

Hollenhorst Plaque - View a Hollenhorst plaque.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for rtPA Therapy - Review the criteria for rtPA therapy for acute ischemic stroke.

Ischemic Stroke - View a CT scan showing an acute ischemic stroke.

Hemorrhage Stroke - View a noncontrast CT showing an acute intracerebral hemorrhage.

Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - View a noncontrast CT showing an acute diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Left Atrial Thrombus - View an echocardiogram showing a left atrial thrombus.

Approach to Peripheral Neuropathy (Chapter 66)

Approach to Peripheral Neuropathy - Use this chart to guide your approach to peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral Neuropathy Examination - Use this table to review the history and physical examination for sensory polyneuropathy.

Differential Diagnosis of Distal Sensory Polyneuropathy - Use this table to review the differential diagnosis of distal symmetrical polyneuropathy.