Stroke, faster diagnosis in the Belluno area thanks to artificial intelligence

Ulss 1 Dolomiti has purchased a software for the radiology of the four provincial hospitals that will allow to define precisely the type of emergency to intervene immediately on the patient

BELLUNO. Stroke: faster diagnosis thanks to the artificial intelligence present in all four Ulss Dolomiti hospitals.

Le Radiology Belluno, Feltre, Agordo and Pieve di Cadore will be equipped with an artificial intelligence system to be used in case of suspicion investigations stroke. This system will allow the reprocessing of the numerous CT images helping clinicians to precisely define the type of stroke and, therefore, the identification of the necessary treatment. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and one of the leading causes of disability. The incidence insists in particular on the elderly population.

Today there are therapeutic opportunities with high chances of success both in terms of survival and reduction of disabilities. A key factor, however, is early diagnosis and immediate initiation of the necessary treatments that vary according to the type of stroke. A stroke, in fact, occurs when the blood supply (which carries oxygen) to the brain is suddenly interrupted due to the obstruction of an artery (ischemic stroke) or, rarely, its rupture ( hemorrhagic stroke) In the case of ischemic stroke (most) there are two main procedures aimed at clearing the arterial vessel causing the symptoms: systemic intravenous thrombolysis by infusion of a drug and mechanical removal of the thrombus.

The system that will be used in the radiologies of Belluno, Feltre, Agordo and Pieve di Cadore processes the images obtained from the CT scan very quickly through an algorithm to quickly show the conditions of the brain to direct it to thrombolysis, which can be performed in the Neurologies of Belluno and Feltre, or to the mechanical removal of the thrombus with the immediate sending to the Neuroradiology of Treviso.

“This application of artificial intelligence has an even more important value for our territory because it allows us to quickly arrive at a refined diagnosis in any hospital the citizen goes to, in order to be able to direct him in a short time to the most appropriate treatments for the specific case” he explains. the general manager Maria Grazia Carraro, “the company continues to invest in innovative technologies to provide clinicians who work in our organizations with all the supports and tools for the best possible care and for patients who can count on timely diagnosis and therefore reduce the time for the initiation of the most appropriate therapies. In this territory, this has a particular value ».