Vascascope – Portable Real-Time Point-of-Care Perfusion Imaging for Faster, Earlier Stroke Diagnosis

Each year, 15 million people suffer strokes that leave them severely disabled or dead, despite the availability of mechanical thrombectomy (MT), which triples recovery when delivered within 6 hours. Large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes cause 95% of stroke-related deaths and 62% of disability, yet most patients miss this window. Two blind spots drive these poor outcomes. Prehospital professionals (paramedics) lack reliable tools to identify LVO, so patients are often sent first to hospitals without MT capability, losing valuable time. In-hospital, even when MT is performed, clinicians lack real-time feedback on tissue reperfusion and cannot continuously monitor patients afterwards. As a result, nearly half of patients fail to achieve independence despite technically successful procedures.Vascascope closes both gaps in one device. It is a portable, wearable brain imaging system that uses advanced near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to deliver hospital-grade perfusion imaging at the point of care. In ambulances, it enables accurate triage within minutes, ensuring patients reach MT centres faster. In hospitals, it provides intra-procedural feedback and continuous ICU monitoring, reducing unnecessary thrombectomy passes, detecting re-occlusion earlier, and preventing complications.In this project, we will finalise the device design, perform in-human clinical trials in ambulance and hospital settings, and generate the clinical and safety evidence required to secure regulatory approvals, including FDA 510(k) clearance and CE marking.By integrating seamlessly from ambulance to ICU, Vascascope will transform fragmented stroke care into a continuous, data-driven pathway — improving survival, reducing disability, and lowering costs.