Minds treating brains: understanding the interpretation of non-contrast CT ASPECTS in acute ischemic stroke

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score on non-contrast CT is a key component of prognostication and treatment selection in acute stroke care. Previous findings show that the reliability of this scale must be improved to maximize its clinical utility.

Areas covered: This review discusses technical, patient-level, and reader-level sources of variability in ASPECTS reading; relevant concepts in the psychology of medical image perception; and potential interventions likely to improve inter- and intra-rater reliability.

Expert commentary: Approaching variability in medical decision making from a psychological perspective will afford cognitively informed insights into the development of interventions and training techniques aimed at improving this issue.

KEYWORDS:

• Stroke
• computed tomography
• medical imaging
• brain imaging
• image interpretation

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded