The impact of installing an MR scanner in the emergency department for patients presenting with acute stroke-like symptoms

With the ED MR, more admitted patients 1) got scanned in the ED and 2) were diagnosed with stroke. Because this led to more patients on the stroke service actually suffering from strokes (and not other diagnoses), the overall HLOS and charges of patients presenting with SLS were not reduced by ED MR screening. Discharge after a negative ED MR did not incur risk of TIAs or strokes over the ensuing 60 days. Therefore, not only does a dedicated MR scanner in the ED aid in the acute diagnosis of a CVA or other neurologic disorder, but it does so without the risk of under-diagnosing TIAs or evolving strokes in the presence of a negative MRI.