How long can an mri detect a stroke a year? within a couple weeks? of when it happened

Type? Size? Place?: An MRI doesn't really detect a stroke, but rather the EFFECTS of a stroke on the brain. The effects can show up within 1 hr, depending on the size of stroke & the way the MRI is obtained. The effects of a stroke can be seen for many yrs - decades, even - after they develop. The type of stroke plays a role: silent, tiny "lacunar" strokes show up for a lifetime, as does brain loss from a big bleed.