Stroke patients in England are now receiving critical treatment more quickly due to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in stroke analysis, according to a new study published in The Lancet Digital Health. The research highlights that over 15,000 patients have benefited from the Brainomix 360 stroke imaging platform, which is operational in more than 70 NHS hospitals.
The Brainomix 360 platform analyzes CT scans rapidly, allowing doctors to detect dangerous blood clots within minutes. This speeds up clinical decision-making and enables faster transfer of patients to specialist stroke centers where they may undergo thrombectomy—a procedure to remove clots. According to the study, hospitals using this AI tool saw their thrombectomy rates double from 2.3% to 4.6%. Hospitals without the technology experienced smaller increases.
Timely intervention is crucial for stroke care, as every 20-minute delay in performing a thrombectomy can reduce a patient's chance of full recovery by about 1%. The AI tool has proven especially valuable at hospitals lacking on-site neuroradiology expertise, with these sites showing the most significant improvements in both treatment rates and transfer times.
In England, stroke continues to be a leading cause of death and disability, with more than 80,000 cases annually. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential since delays can result in extensive brain cell loss. The findings suggest that wider use of AI could help many more patients receive timely specialist care and improve their chances of recovery.
Dr David Hargroves, NHS National Clinical Director for Stroke and co-author of the study said: “This landmark study confirms what we have already been seeing in daily practice: that stroke AI imaging is helping us deliver faster decision-making and better care for our patients. This technology supports clinicians to make rapid treatment decisions, which means more patients can receive life- and disability-saving treatments in time—giving them a better chance of returning to independent living.”
The study reviewed data from 452,952 stroke patients and found that after introducing AI in January 2022, more than 15,000 patient scans were evaluated using this technology. At primary stroke centers where AI was used, there was an average reduction of 64 minutes in “door-in-door-out” time—the period between arrival at hospital and transfer for specialist care—substantially increasing opportunities for timely intervention. Patients whose scans were analyzed with AI were also more likely to receive both thrombectomy and intravenous thrombolysis treatments and had improved functional outcomes at discharge without an increase in hospital mortality.
In summer 2024, the NHS implemented AI decision-support tools across all English stroke centers as part of its national optimal stroke imaging pathway. With strong real-world evidence supporting its effectiveness, this technology is being recognized as a major advancement in modern stroke care.
“This landmark study confirms what we have already been seeing in daily practice: that stroke AI imaging is helping us deliver faster decision-making and better care for our patients. This technology supports clinicians to make rapid treatment decisions, which means more patients can receive life- and disability-saving treatments in time—giving them a better chance of returning to independent living.” — Dr David Hargroves
Questions or comments about this article can be directed to chris.whitehouse@whitehousecomms.com.
