Hybrid CT Angio Suite for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A New Time-Saving Workflow Model?

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Interventional Radiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Acute ischemic stroke requires rapid intervention to minimize brain damage.
• In-hospital workflow delays can negatively impact patient outcomes.
• Optimizing imaging and treatment pathways is crucial for acute stroke care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a hybrid CT angio suite on in-hospital workflow times for acute ischemic stroke patients.
• To compare door-to-groin (DTG) and CT-to-groin (CTTG) times before and after the introduction of the hybrid suite.
• To assess the effect on clinical outcomes at 3 months.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational case-control study.
• Inclusion of consecutive patients with suspected ischemic stroke undergoing neuroimaging and mechanical thrombectomy (MT).
• Comparison of workflow times (DTG, CTTG) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores between the hybrid suite group and a control group.

Main Results:

• A significant reduction in median DTG time from 71 to 36 minutes (p < 0.001).
• A significant reduction in median CT-to-groin time from 44 to 12 minutes (p < 0.001).
• 50 patients were included in the study period (October 2023 - March 2024).

Conclusions:

• The hybrid CT angio suite significantly decreases in-hospital workflow delays for acute ischemic stroke.
• This technological integration facilitates more efficient patient management.
• The findings support the adoption of hybrid suites for acute stroke intervention.