Aurkikuntza intzidentalak garuneko iktus iskemiko akutuaren diagnostiko irudi frogetan: intzidentzia eta inpaktu klinikoa pazienteengan.

Abstract

[EN]Background And Aims: The increasing use of multimodal imaging in the setting acute ischemic stroke, especially with the use of computed tomography angiography (CTA), may lead to the discovery of incidental findings (IF) regarding patient’s health status. Our aim is to evaluate the frequency and clinical impact of these findings. // Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the IF on initial CT of patients suffering from acute ischemic stroke admitted to our stroke unit during 1-year period. We classified them regarding their clinical significance and anatomic location. // Results: A total of 502 patients were included, of which 106 (21,1%) presented with IF. Out of 106, 40 (29,9%) were major IF and 52 (38,8%) were of moderate significance. The 17,9% were neurologic findings, with the most frequent ones being artery aneurysms (which were also the most frequent major IF), and in the 82,1% of the non-neurologic findings the most frequent one was sinusitis (the most frequent IF). Although 19,4% of the IF prompted the necessity of additional supplementary tests and 15,6% required from consultation to other departments, the presence of IF did not increase average length of hospital-stay (LOHS) (8,01 vs. 8,69 days; p=0,338). Only 1,5% of IF required from acute treatment. CTA inclusion in initial neuroimaging increased the probability of obtaining IF (20,3% vs. 8,5%; p=0,001). // Conclusions: IF are a frequent result of neuroimaging done in the setting of acute ischemic stroke, and their frequency increases with the inclusion of multimodal imaging. Most of these IF have moderate-major clinical significance, although their finding does not seem to increase LOHS.