The workload distribution of acute stroke CT imaging in a level three hospital in Ireland

Interventions for acute ischaemic stroke require brain imaging. Computerised tomography (CT) scanning is the most common method used. In this study, the aim was to investigate the CT workload of acute stroke in an Irish level 3 hospital, seeing approximately 200 acute strokes per year.

A time frame for data collection: 17th of October 2017-17th of October 2018 was selected. Data were collected from ordering and viewing radiology systems and the Symphony Emergency Department (ED) system. Acute stroke CT brain scans were examined under numerous parameters including arrival time and time in CT scanner. Data were used to calculate 'time to CT' and to examine how this varied depending on the time of day. Scans were categorised into 5 time periods. All CT brains and other CT scans, after hours, in the same period were analysed.

Data were collected on 3739 CT Brain scans, 215 were acute stroke scans. One hundred twenty-four acute stroke scans were performed after hours. Acute stroke scans accounted for 9.4% of all out-of-hour CT scans, rising to 14.8% Monday to Friday. Median time to CT in acute stroke patients: period 1 00:30 mins, period 2 00:34 mins, period 3 00:49 mins, period 4 00:34 mins, and period 5 00:39 mins.

Acute stroke imaging constitutes a relatively small portion of the out-of-hour CT workload. Due to the emergency status of these scans, providing an acute stroke radiology service requires radiology staff to operate with extremely short response times 24 h a day.