Details of the largest real-world evaluation into the impact of stroke AI imaging which was carried out by Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley (HIOTV) have been published in the Lancet Digital Health.
The study, funded by the NHS AI Award, assessed the first widespread adoption of AI technology in the NHS. It analysed use of the Brainomix 360 Stroke image analysis tool which supports clinical decision-making by sharing high quality digital CT brain scans quickly and securely, helping identify patients who would benefit from thrombectomy, a life-changing but time-critical procedure to reopen a blocked large artery in the brain following stroke.
The evaluation captured data from more than 450,000 patients admitted to 107 NHS hospitals in England over a five-year period. Use of the AI tool was associated with an increase in thrombectomy rates and a reduction in delays. The evidence generated supports guideline recommendations for the routine use of AI imaging software to manage patients with stroke.
Professor Gary Ford, Chief Executive of HIOTV, said: “Our evaluation is the largest into the use of AI brain imaging following stroke. It has highlighted a large impact in improving access to and timeliness of receiving thrombectomy, particularly for patients who arrive at non-specialist NHS hospitals.”
Dr David Hargroves, the NHS National Clinical Director for Stroke, said: “Using data from across NHS England, this landmark study confirms what we have already been seeing in our daily practice: that stroke AI imaging is playing a key role in improving access to the care we deliver to stroke patients.
“The AI technology supports clinicians in making faster treatment decisions, enabling more patients to receive life- and disability-saving treatments and improving their chances of returning to independent living with a better quality of life.
“This publication is a result of a strategic investment by the UK government into AI research and its integration into the NHS, providing the robust evidence that supports national clinical guidelines.”