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Blog
Nicola Emery, PhD

AI in Stroke Care: Faster Action and Better Collaboration

Care Coordination, Stroke
Table of Contents

Isala Hospital is using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve care for their stroke patients. As one of the largest non-academic hospitals in the Netherlands, they have been at the forefront of using AI in radiology since 2021. The technology is yielding positive results, helping clinicians make faster decisions and improve care team collaboration.

Faster and better decision-making

In stroke treatment, time is of the essence. Every minute can be critical to a patient’s recovery. For almost two years, the hospital has been using Aidoc’s AI, which is fully integrated into the stroke care pathway. This technology helps doctors make decisions faster, prioritise patients more effectively and improve collaboration between different specialties.

How does the AI solution work?

The AI software automatically analyses patients’ CT scans. Among other pathologies, the system can notify radiologists of suspected positive cases of cerebral haemorrhages, intracranial aneurysms and blockages in blood vessels.

It also assesses blood flow to brain tissue. If abnormalities are flagged, the treatment team receives an immediate notification including images and relevant patient information. Specialists such as neurologists and interventional radiologists can consult with each other directly via a secure app. This prompts clinicians to quickly review the full, original study on a diagnostic viewer, which accelerates overall decision-making and ensures that treatment can begin faster.

Demonstrable results

Over the past six months, the AI has analysed 915 scans, which has led to the prioritisation of 125 suspected cases of vascular occlusion. Additionally, suspected blocked blood vessels were identified in 21 cases where scans were not specifically performed for stroke assessment. This demonstrates that the AI can also notify care teams of suspected incidental findings in patients who currently have no symptoms, which may be important for treatment decisions at a later stage. Analyses are performed very quickly, usually within three minutes of the scan being taken, allowing for faster triage. More than 50 physicians at Isala are now actively using the AI.

Improved triage of complex strokes

One of the key advantages of the AI solution is its ability to notify radiologists of even the most difficult types of stroke. This applies to cases such as:

  • Smaller or less obvious blood clots
  • Strokes in the back of the brain

In practice, these types are sometimes detected later because the symptoms are less obvious. By recognising them sooner, intervention can occur earlier, reducing the risk of permanent damage. Interventional radiologist Erik-Jan de Heide says: “Thanks to the app, we can see acute cases on our phones earlier — sometimes even before the official call — and therefore get to the hospital faster during our shift for an intervention.“

Future: Regional collaboration

Now that AI has become an integral part of stroke care, Isala is looking to the future. The hospital also intends to deploy the technology in collaboration with other regional hospitals. Radiologist and research coordinator Martijn Boomsma says, ‘We’ve moved past the implementation phase and are now exploring how we can scale up this approach regionally. AI has proven its value within our hospital. The next step is to enable more patients to benefit from faster, better-coordinated stroke care within the network.’

A new standard in care

By utilising AI, Isala is taking an important step towards faster, better organised care for stroke patients. This approach shows how technology can improve treatment outcomes and could be adopted by other hospitals in the Netherlands and Europe.

Above: Interventional radiologist Erik-Jan de Heide and neurologist Clemens Kersten at Isala Hospital.

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Nicola Emery, PhD

Nicola Emery, PhD, is a marketing expert with experience in the pharmaceutical, life sciences and technology sectors. With a strong scientific background, she brings a data-driven, analytical and creative approach to her role as Director of Marketing, Europe.

Nicola Emery, PhD
Director of Marketing, Europe

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