Technology
The Crouse Neuroscience Institute combines the most experienced and highly trained physicians and multidisciplinary specialists with the area’s most advanced technology — all to provide our community with the latest in treatment for issues of the brain and spine.
Artificial Intelligence Stroke Software
As a state and nationally recognized leader in stroke care, Crouse Health has partnered with Viz.ai to bring the first FDA-cleared computer-aided triage system to upstate New York. Viz.ai is an international firm dedicated to using applied artificial intelligence software in healthcare to reduce time to treatment and improve patient outcomes.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, as well as a major cause of permanent disability. The key to effective diagnosis and treatment is reducing the length of time between onset of symptoms and medical intervention.
Crouse is now one of four hundred hospitals using the Viz.ai product nationwide and one of just four in New York State using the sophisticated applied artificial intelligence-based technology to help facilitate early access to the most advanced stroke care. The others using the Viz.ai product in the state are Kaleida Health in Buffalo; Mount Sinai Health System and Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York City; and South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside.
Crouse Health recently earned the distinction of being the first hospital in the region to receive dual certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, reflecting the highest level of regional expertise for the treatment of serious stroke events. The certifications, from DNV Healthcare and the New York State Department of Health, affirm Crouse’s consistent record of providing rapid, life-saving treatment for the most complex stroke cases.
When a patient is transported to the Crouse emergency room with a suspected stroke, CT scans are immediately taken to aid in an accurate diagnosis. The cloud-based Viz.ai software analyzes the images automatically to detect a large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke and then securely transmits those images to the entire Crouse stroke team in real time.
“In most hospitals, the CT scan process typically takes 30 to 60 minutes,” according to Crouse Neuroscience Institute Clinical Director Jameson Crumb, MSBMS, PA-C. “This software cuts that timeframe in half, allowing us to move that patient toward the best individualized treatment plan much quicker and in a more synchronized fashion.”
Public health campaigns have been communicating for years that “time is brain.” When a stroke occurs, the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the brain is blocked. The average patient loses nearly two million brain cells for each minute a stroke is untreated. According to Dr. Padalino, this deterioration is what contributes to disability or death. However, if the stroke is identified early, there are several medical treatments and interventions that are available to help slow down or even halt this process and allow the stressed brain to recover. Better outcomes have been shown to correlate with how quickly these treatments can be initiated, and every minute counts.
State-of-the-Art Hybrid Operating Rooms
Crouse’s two new hybrid operating rooms merge the latest imaging technology of a radiology suite with the amenities of a traditional operating room. The availability of imaging equipment means physicians can view a surgical area on high-definition monitors to perform advanced, image-guided vascular and neurosurgical procedures. Our state-of-the-art OR setting allows surgeons to safely transition from a minimally-invasive to an open procedure without moving the patient, allowing surgeons to respond more effectively to intricate cases.
Most Advanced Medical Imaging Devices
Crouse Hospital’s 320-slice Toshiba Aquilion ONE is one of the most advanced medical imaging devices available. This equipment is the world’s first CT system capable of showing real-time organ function, such as blood flowing through the brain. With this technology, more of the patient’s body can be scanned in less time.
Cyberknife® Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Crouse Hospital, in partnership with Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY, offers treatment with the CyberKnife®, made by Accuray, the only FDA-approved, completely robotic, stereotactic radiosurgery system available in the world that targets and destroys small and previously inaccessible tumors or lesions anywhere in the body. As a non-invasive operation, CyberKnife® has proven to be an effective alternative to surgery or conventional radiation for treating vascular abnormalities, tumors, functional disorders and cancers with sub-millimeter accuracy. Crouse neourosurgeon Gregory Canute, MD, provides treatment at HOA, the only provider of CyberKnife® services in Central New York.
