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Radiology workload in clinical implementation of thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke: experience from The Netherlands

  • Interventional Neuroradiology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the number of acute stroke patients undergoing CT angiography (CTA) for suspected large vessel occlusion (LVO) and those eligible for thrombectomy in relation to the population.

Methods

Consecutive patients in a Western population who underwent CTA for suspected LVO of the proximal anterior circulation between January and August 2019 were included. The date and time of CTA and the number of patients eligible for thrombectomy were assessed. Our hospital’s service area population was estimated using the Central Bureau for Statistics data. One-way analysis of variance with post-hoc tests and chi-squared tests were used for statistical analyses.

Results

Of 520 patients (49% males, mean age of 72 years) undergoing CTA, 84 (16.2%) were eligible for thrombectomy. Our hospital’s service area population was estimated at 420,000. Therefore, 3.6 CTA scans were performed and 0.6 patients were eligible for thrombectomy per 100,000 people per week. The number of patients undergoing CTA and the number of patients eligible for thrombectomy both did not significantly differ between any days of the week (P > 0.05). A total of 236 (45%) and 284 patients (55%) underwent CTA during office and on-call hours, respectively. The percentage of patients eligible for thrombectomy did not significantly differ between office and on-call hours (P = 0.834).

Conclusion

Our study estimated the number of stroke patients undergoing CTA for suspected LVO and those eligible for thrombectomy in relation to the population. Numbers were essentially the same throughout the week, and during office and on-call hours. Our data can be used to make adequate staffing plans.

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Funding

No funding was received for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Zuyderland Medical Center, Henri Dunantstraat 5, 6419 PC, Heerlen/Sittard/Geleen, The Netherlands

    Bram A. C. M. Fasen, Roeland J. J. Heijboer, Frans-Jan H. Hulsmans & Robert M. Kwee

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  1. Bram A. C. M. Fasen
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  2. Roeland J. J. Heijboer
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  3. Frans-Jan H. Hulsmans
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  4. Robert M. Kwee
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Correspondence to Robert M. Kwee.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in the studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board of our hospital (IRB number Z2019102) and patients’ consents were waived.

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Fasen, B.A.C.M., Heijboer, R.J.J., Hulsmans, FJ.H. et al. Radiology workload in clinical implementation of thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke: experience from The Netherlands. Neuroradiology 62, 877–882 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-020-02416-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-020-02416-w

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