Bringing CT Scanners to the Skies: Design of a CT Scanner for an Air Mobile Stroke Unit

Stroke is the second most common cause of death and remains a persistent health challenge globally. Due to its highly time-sensitive nature, earlier stroke treatments should be enforced for improved patient outcome. The mobile unit (MSU) was conceptualized implemented deliver diagnosis treatment in ultra-early time window (<1 h) pre-hospital setting has shown clinically effective. However, due geographical challenges, rural communities are still unable receive timely intervention, as access specialized facilities optimal poses challenge. Therefore, aircraft counterpart (Air-MSU) conventional road MSU offers plausible solution this shortcoming by expanding catchment area regional locations Australia. implementation Air-MSU currently hindered several technical limitations, where current commercially available CT scanners oversized too heavy integrated into helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS). In collaboration with Australian Alliance Melbourne Brain Centre, article aims explore possibilities methodologies reducing weight and, effectively, size an existing scanner, such that it can retrofitted proposed search rescue helicopter—Agusta Westland AW189. result will Australia’s first-ever customized scanner structure designed fit search-and-rescue used Air-MSU.