A handheld portable device that rapidly differentiates between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke could reduce delays in the diagnosis and treatment of acute stroke, researchers say.
Dr Shane Shahrestani of the University of Southern California and the California Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, California, USA, noted that treatment of stroke depends on the subtype (ischemic or hemorrhagic), and differentiating the two subtypes typically requires imaging with CT or MRI. However, delays in the diagnostic process, including delays due to imaging, may worsen the patient’s prognosis.
“Previous studies have shown that the time between stroke and treatment can exceed 2 hours,” noted Dr Shahrestani. “And much of that time is consumed by patient transport and imaging.”