Why do Italian stroke patients receive CT scans earlier than UK patients?
J M Wardlawa, S C Lewisa, P A G Sandercocka, S Riccib, L Spizzichinob, and the International Stroke Trial Collaborators in Italy and the UK
a Neurosciences
Trials Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Western General
Hospital, Crewe Rd, Edinburgh, EH4
2XU, UK, b Centro di
Coordinamento IST-Italia, Ospedale Silvestrini,
06156 Perugia, Italy
Accepted 22 July 1998
Computed tomography (CT) scanning is important prior to acute
stroke treatment. We wished to identify factors associated with being
able to obtain a CT scan quickly, from a recent large stroke treatment
trial. A questionnaire survey on the organisation of CT scanning
services for stroke was sent to 179 UK and Italian hospitals who had
randomised patients into the International Stroke Trial and performed
at least one pre-randomisation CT scan. Data from the questionnaire
were analysed in conjunction with other patient data. Italian doctors
expected the CT scans to be done more quickly than UK doctors, their
hospitals were more likely to have a CT scanner operating all the time,
and a porter was used less frequently to take the patient to the CT
scanner. A few simple changes in the way CT scanning is organised for
stroke patients in the UK could speed access to CT considerably.
Keywords: stroke; cerebrovascular disease; computed tomography
© 1999 by The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine
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