Two neurologists and a neuroradiologist had impressive concordance interpreting intracranial CT angiography images in a recent study in the Czech Republic, leading the authors to conclude that the neurologists’ diagnostic proficiency may point the way to faster interventions for acute stroke patients.

The British Journal of Radiology published the study online Jan. 24.

Neurologist Michal Bar, MD, PhD, of the University of Ostrava and colleagues compared the interpretations after an experienced interventional neuroradiologist, a stroke neurologist and a general neurologist read CT angiography images of 75 acute-stroke patients.

The agreement between the neuroradiologist and the neurologists in their respective CT angiography evaluations of intracranial artery occlusion was very strong, the authors report. (Click here for summary results.)

“The ability of trained neurologists to read an intracranial large vessel occlusion correctly may improve door-to-needle times in acute stroke,” they write, noting that the diagnosis of arterial occlusion often calls for mechanical thrombectomy. This intervention has been shown to significantly improve functional independence in appropriately selected patients with acute ischemic stroke.

In the Czech study, the neurologists “were able to recognize occlusion of intracranial arteries,” Bar et al. conclude. “This could accelerate the management of acute stroke care.”