Intraosseous contrast administration for emergency stroke CT

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Neurology

Background:

• Computed tomography (CT) is crucial for diagnosing acute stroke.
• Intravenous (IV) contrast administration is standard but can be challenging.
• Failed IV access necessitates alternative contrast delivery methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first case of intraosseous (IO) contrast administration for CT in acute stroke.
• To present a dedicated CT imaging protocol for IO contrast.
• To evaluate the image quality and feasibility of IO contrast in this setting.

Main Methods:

• A case of suspected acute stroke with failed IV access was identified.
• Intraosseous (IO) contrast administration was performed.
• A specialized CT imaging protocol was utilized.
• Image quality was analyzed, and literature was reviewed.

Main Results:

• Successful CT imaging was achieved via IO contrast administration.
• The dedicated protocol provided adequate image quality for stroke assessment.
• This represents the first documented use of IO contrast for acute stroke CT.

Conclusions:

• Intraosseous (IO) contrast administration is a feasible alternative for CT imaging in acute stroke when IV access fails.
• This technique can ensure timely diagnosis and treatment initiation.
• Further research is warranted to establish IO contrast protocols for acute stroke.