Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) is the first hospital in Eastern Kentucky to use new, advanced software powered by artificial intelligence to help identify certain types of strokes even quicker than before.
The software, powered by Viz.ai, is linked directly to PMC’s CT scanner, which uses rotating x-ray machines to create detailed images of the inside of a patient’s head, showing bones, blood vessels and the brain.
The new technology can quickly identify suspected large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes, which is caused when one of the major arteries of the brain is blocked, stopping the supply of blood and oxygen. Once a stroke is identified by the computer, PMC’s stroke specialists are notified almost immediately on their smartphones, where they are able to see the images for themselves.
“Having this new technology is going to allow us to quickly identify a stroke and its precise location,” explained Medical Director of the PMC Primary Stroke Center, Naveed Ahmed, MD. “This will show us which brain tissue is at risk of dying and allows us to better plan which action we need to take to treat it. When treating a stroke patient, every second counts.”
A stroke is a serious and time-sensitive medical condition that requires emergency care and can cause lasting brain damage and death. In the United States, stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability. According to the CDC, someone in the US has a stroke every 40 seconds, and every four minutes, someone dies.
For more information, visit www.pikevillehospital.org, call 606-430-2208.
