Pocket-size Cardiovascular Ultrasound in Stroke

Helse Nord-Trøndelag HF

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cerebrovascular Accident; Apoplexy; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Stroke; Cerebrovascular Apoplexy; Transient Ischemic Attack

Treatments: Procedure: Bed-side pocket size ultrasound imaging; Device: GE Ultrasound Vscan

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02141932

LH_Card2014-1

Details and patient eligibility

About

Among patients admitted with cerebral ischemia (stroke and transitory ischemic attack (TIA)) it is important to reveal the underlying cause of the disease. In special it is important to reveal if carotid artery stenosis is present as such a finding will directly influence on treatment and follow-up.

For the diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis due to atherosclerosis ultrasound examinations is the cornerstone, but computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging may be better in some cases. Development of high quality pocket-sized ultrasound scanners has allowed for semi quantitatively bed-side assessment of the carotid arteries and the heart.

The investigators aim to study the feasibility and reliability of bed-side assessment of the carotid arteries and the heart by pocket-sized ultrasound scanners and the clinical influence of this examination when performed by experienced users.

The investigators hypothesize that a significant proportion of this patient population can be clarified bed-side with no need of further imaging procedures for the assessment of the carotid arteries and the heart.

Full description

Population: Approximately 100 patients admitted to the Department of Medicine, Levanger Hospital with history and findings suspicious of stroke/transitory ischemic attack (TIA). Informed consent mandatory.

No exclusion criteria.

Hypotheses:

The carotid arteries and the heart can be assessed bed-side by pocket-size ultrasound scanners with high feasibility and reliability.

Bed-side assessment of the carotid arteries and the heart by pocket-size ultrasound scanners may reduce the need for more advanced (higher cost) imaging procedures.

Methods:

Pocket-size imaging device from GE Ultrasound, commercial available. Approved for clinical use. High-end echocardiography and carotid Doppler ultrasound by high-end equipment (GE Vivid 9) and computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging at the Department of Radiology, Levanger Hospital.

Enrollment: 80 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Admitted to the Department of Medicine with history and findings suspicious of (transient) cerebrovascular ischemia and willing and able to give their informed written consent

Exclusion criteria

• None

Trial design

Primary purpose: Diagnostic

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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80 participants in 1 patient group

Bed-side pocket-size ultrasound

Experimental group

Description:

All participants will be examined bed-side by pocket size ultrasound for the assessment of the carotid arteries and the heart. All participants will then be examined by reference imaging in specific ultrasound laboratories and when appropriate computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

Treatment:

Device: GE Ultrasound Vscan

Procedure: Bed-side pocket size ultrasound imaging