The implementation of the perfusion imaging tool allows clinicians to perform studies in the operating room, reducing time to treatment for stroke patients.
St. Luke’s University Health Network has become the first health care system in Pennsylvania to implement AngioFlow by RapidAI, an imaging technology used for acute stroke evaluation.
The tool allows physicians to perform perfusion studies directly in the operating room, bypassing the traditional step of sending patients to a CT scanner to determine if a thrombectomy, or clot removal, is necessary.
“This results in at least 35 minutes in time saved,” says Martin Oselkin, MD, a neurointerventional radiologist at St. Luke’s University Health Network, in a release, “which is vital to patient outcomes, as 1 million brain cells die with each minute that passes before a clot is removed.”
According to St. Luke’s, the real-time imaging supports shorter procedure times, earlier identification of salvageable brain tissue, and more precise interventions. The technology also provides clinicians with immediate data on how treatment affects blood flow, which may reduce the risk of complications and improve functional recovery.
The system is currently in use at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem. The facility is recognized as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, serving as the network’s hub for neurovascular capabilities.
The adoption of the technology follows a ranking by the US Department of Health and Human Services, which placed St. Luke’s as the top health system in the nation for quality, safety, and patient experience.
The neurovascular interventions at the facility are performed by Oselkin and endovascular neurosurgeons Evan Marlin and Nathan Quig. These clinicians utilize the technology to provide immediate insight into how treatments affect blood flow in real time.
Photo caption: AngioFlow
Photo credit: RapidAI
