Stroke treatment boosted as Cork University Hospital upgrades angiography facilities

Cork University Hospital (CUH) has installed the first Artis icono angiography system from Siemens Healthineers in Great Britain and Ireland during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aided by digitised healthcare applications and remote support platforms, the state-of-the-art technology provides high image quality, bolstering stroke and neuroradiology procedures across Ireland.

As one of two neuroradiology service providers in Ireland, CUH provides care to patients from hospitals throughout the South/Southwest Hospital Group and the Midwest region, which includes University Hospital Limerick. To meet the evolving needs of patients with neurological impairment in the region, the radiology department at CUH chose to replace ageing angiography equipment with the new Artis icono biplane angiography system.

The Artis icono is set to support precision medicine by helping to individualise treatment for stroke patients, with functionality optimised for neurology procedures. Offering syngo DynaCT High Speed and syngo DynaCT Sine Spin, the system allows reduced representation of artefacts and significantly decreases the time needed for low contrast 3D imaging. It incorporates Case Flows among other tools to simplify procedures and speed up workflows. The addition of remote support platforms, such as Smart Remote Services, has also been key to the prompt and safe implementation of the system.

CUH ceo Ger O’Callaghan said: “Cork University Hospital has the busiest stroke service in Ireland. It is one of two designated comprehensive stroke centres in the country and is tasked with providing acute endovascular intervention, or thrombectomy for the Munster region. In recent months we have seen some extraordinary patient outcomes due to the excellent stroke care provided by the CUH team. I fully support our collective goal of continuing with the development of a comprehensive stroke service that can deliver world-class care for the people of Munster.”

Picture: Interventional neuroradiologists Dr Gerald Wyse and Dr Noel Fanning with the Artis icono at Cork University Hospital.

Published on page 14 of the October 2020 issue of RAD Magazine.