STORY HIGHLIGHTS The UCLA Comprehensive Stroke Center is a first point of contact to quickly assess and intervene with patients thought to have had a stroke. A large team that can respond quickly is essential to the successful treatment of a stroke. UCLAHEALTH.ORG When ‘Time is Brain,’ Prompt Response Essential to Successful Stroke Treatment As the first point of contact in quickly assessing and intervening with patients brought to the UCLA Comprehensive Stroke Center, the interventional neuroradiology team plays a key role in the success of UCLA’s stroke program. When patients in Los Angeles appear to be suffering from acute stroke, emergency responders use the Los Angeles Prehospital Stroke Screen, a tool validated at UCLA, to identify those who should be transferred to the UCLA Comprehensive Stroke Center for potential interventional treatment. For patients who are routed to UCLA, the “brain 1-844-4UCLADR (1-844-482-5237) attack” team is activated. After an initial rapid evaluation to determine whether the patient is suffering from an acute stroke as opposed to a stroke mimic, the team ensures that the patient is stable before further assessment using advanced imaging — either CT or MRI. If stroke intervention is indicated, the front-line treatment is medical, in the form of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clot-busting drug that can be administered effectively up to four-and-a-half hours after an acute stroke. If a patient shows blockage of a large vessel of the brain — most commonly the internal carotid