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Finding a fast, reliable test to see if a bleeding stroke is still bleeding


January 13, 2015

Intracerebral hemorrhages, or bleeding strokes, are common and deadly. In 2010-2011, nearly 1,350 Ontario patients suffered a bleeding stroke — 37% of these died in hospital. One-in-three victims who arrive at the Emergency Department are still bleeding, which is potentially treatable with blood clotting drugs, if recognized. However, these blood clotting drugs can harm people whose bleeding has already stopped. Drs. Dar Dowlatshahi and Santanu Chakraborty have received $160,000 from the Heart and Stroke Foundation to adapt and validate a technique their team is pioneering that essentially turns a CAT scan into a video to determine if the person's brain is still bleeding and at what rate. This diagnostic technique would help physicians quickly determine who is at greatest risk and what treatment options would be safest and most effective.

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute


The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute is the research arm of The Ottawa Hospital and is an affiliated institute of the University of Ottawa, closely associated with its faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences. The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute includes more than 1,700 scientists, clinical investigators, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and staff conducting research to improve the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human disease. Support our research. Give to the Tender Loving Research campaign.

For further information, please contact


Paddy Moore
Communications and Public Relations
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-737-8899 x73687
Cell: 613-323-5680
padmoore@ohri.ca