Hospital Ponta Delgada treats stroke with AI technology

Sfollowing a press release from the institution, HDES, on the island of São Miguel, gave a “decisive step” in the modernization of health care in the region, with the introduction of the Brainomix 360 platform.

“ This state-of-the-art AI technology was specifically designed to revolutionize the treatment of stroke, optimizing the diagnosis and speed of intervention, critical factors in a scenario where ‘time is brain’,” he said.

The introduction of this system at the service of the CVA Unit and the Imaging Service allows computed tomography (CT) exams to be automated.

“ In a few seconds, AI identifies early signs of ischemia and large vascular occlusions that could be difficult to detect initially, ensuring diagnostic accuracy at the level of the best neurovascular centers in the world,” HDES explained.

For Raquel Senra, responsible for the hospital’s Vascular Brain Unit, this innovation is “vital, since stroke is a medical emergency that may lead to a high degree of disability and even death”.

“ As ‘time is brain’, it is essential that we make the diagnosis as early as possible and thus administer the best treatment as quickly as possible. Artificial intelligence will enable us, almost immediately, to identify early signs of cerebral ischemia and intracranial vessel occlusion and thus enable its rapid approach ", reported in the note.

As currently the Autonomous Region of the Azores does not perform mechanical thrombectomy, the patients being sent mostly to the island of Madeira, Raquel Senra stressed that, using the AI, the sharing of images “will happen practically in real time, which will speed up the process” of the so-called medical evacuation”.

“ The great innovation also lies in real-time mobility and information sharing, as, through a secure mobile application, specialist doctors can view the processed images and communicate instantly, regardless of their location,” he said.

Thus, “immediate decisions on crucial treatments such as thrombolysis or transfer to thrombectomy” are facilitated.

Since July 2025, HDES has already had the Gleamer Copilot system for emergency radiographs, through the BoneView modules (specializing in the detection of fractures, joint effusions and dislocations) and ChestView (focused on the detection of critical pathologies such as pneumothorax, pulmonary nodules, pleural effusions and alveolar opacities).

By automating CT analysis and allowing real-time data sharing, the establishment ensures comprehensive technological coverage, “insures Azoreans with cutting-edge care to combat one of the main causes of mortality and disability in Portugal.”.