Stroke

Cardiovascular departments are playing a role in stroke interventions at numerous health systems, working as part of the stroke care team with neurologists, radiology and the emergency department. Stroke first has be be classified as ischemic or hemorrhagic. These have very different care pathways. Ischemic strokes are increasingly being treated with neurological-interventional therapy that includes catheter based mechanical thrombectomy to remove the clot. This is a more aggressive treatment compared to traditional IV administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) thrombolytic therapy to dissolve the clot. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and  intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) brain bleeds can also be treated in some cases stent flow diverters and embolization coils. 

RSS icon
An example of artificial intelligence (AI) automated detection of a intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in. a CT scan used to send alerts to the stroke acute care team before a radiologist even sees the exam. Example shown by TeraRecon at RSNA 2022.

VIDEO: Radiology AI aids acute care and other departments

Sanjay Parekh, PhD, senior market analyst with Signify Research, explains how some radiology AI is being adopted outside of radiology departments to improve care.

Thumbnail

Neuroimaging recedes behind other cost compilers in stroke care

Contrary to older research that showed neuroimaging emerging as the single most dominating cost contributor in ischemic stroke care for older Americans, a new study shows treatment and other line items account for bigger slices of the bill.

Ischemic stroke shown in CT scans. Image courtesy of RSNA

VIDEO: AI for stroke detection on CT imaging

Bibb Allen, MD, FACR, chief medical officer of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Data Science Institute, explains the trend of using AI for the automated detection of stroke on computed tomography (CT) imaging and the need to include radiologists on the stroke care team.

Thumbnail

70% of ‘mini-stroke’ patients imaged incompletely, risking full-on stroke

Emergency patients diagnosed with transient ischemic attack are supposed to receive, per multiple society guidelines, a complete imaging workup as soon as possible—preferably within 48 hours of ED discharge.

Ischemic stroke CT scan showing color coded blood flow for early and later arterial and venous contrast phases and areas of blocked blood flow. Image courtesy of RSNA

Disparities evident as CT stroke imaging rises sharply over 7-year period

Utilization of head CT perfusion (CTP) for imaging stroke patients spiked 428% between 2012 and 2019. Curiously, the uptrend was associated with higher mortality up to a year after discharge.

FDA warns providers about potential misuse of imaging-based software for stroke triage

Physicians may not be aware of such devices' intended use, with potential for misdiagnosis resulting in patient injury or death, the agency announced. 

Stroke thrombectomy outcomes similar between radiologists, fellowship-trained neurointerventionalists

Increased volume has led to stress among endovascular stroke physicians, with some hospitals relying on interventional rads to relieve the strain. 

Thumbnail

Mobile stroke units improve patient outcomes, reduce risk of disability

Researchers tracked data from more than 1,000 patients who received care from 2014 to 2020. 

Displaying 9 - 16 of 16

Around the web

Health Imaging
Nearly $800,000 settlement offered to family of man who died during MRI exam

The patient, who was being cared for in the ICU, was not accompanied or monitored by nursing staff during his exam, despite being sedated.

Cardiovascular Business
Global shortage of nuclear imaging isotopes may be over

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

Cardiovascular Business
‘A huge win’: CMS significantly increases Medicare payments for cardiac CT

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.