The recommended imaging interpretation time should be completed within how many minutes?

The recommended imaging interpretation time should be completed within how many minutes?

• A. Within 30 minutes
• B. Within 60 minutes
• C. Within 45 minutes
• D. Within 90 minutes

Answer: (C)

In acute stroke care, time is brain, and quickly interpreting imaging is essential to decide treatment eligibility and speed up care. After imaging is performed, a rapid read by the radiology team allows clinicians to determine whether the stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic and whether therapies like IV thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy are appropriate. Setting a goal to complete imaging interpretation within 45 minutes from patient arrival helps keep the overall workflow moving briskly and supports achieving timely treatment decisions, often aligning with broader targets like keeping door-to-needle times around an hour for thrombolysis. Interpreting imaging within 45 minutes balances the reality of on-call or in-house radiology workflows with the urgency of treatment, whereas longer timeframes (60 or 90 minutes) risk delaying therapy, and aiming much shorter (like 30 minutes) may not be feasible in many settings. This 45-minute target ensures rapid, evidence-informed decisions that can improve patient outcomes.

In acute stroke care, time is brain, and quickly interpreting imaging is essential to decide treatment eligibility and speed up care. After imaging is performed, a rapid read by the radiology team allows clinicians to determine whether the stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic and whether therapies like IV thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy are appropriate. Setting a goal to complete imaging interpretation within 45 minutes from patient arrival helps keep the overall workflow moving briskly and supports achieving timely treatment decisions, often aligning with broader targets like keeping door-to-needle times around an hour for thrombolysis. Interpreting imaging within 45 minutes balances the reality of on-call or in-house radiology workflows with the urgency of treatment, whereas longer timeframes (60 or 90 minutes) risk delaying therapy, and aiming much shorter (like 30 minutes) may not be feasible in many settings. This 45-minute target ensures rapid, evidence-informed decisions that can improve patient outcomes.