The department’s research activities build directly on its broad clinical portfolio and advanced imaging technology. The team develops and evaluates new radiological techniques, in particular contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, specialised perfusion CT protocols and advanced 3T MR applications in gastroenterology, oncologic imaging and surgical planning.
A major focus of KRaZM is neurovascular imaging and interventional neuroradiology. The department is a high-volume centre for mechanical thrombectomy and endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms, dural arteriovenous fistulas and other cerebrovascular malformations, serving as one of ten comprehensive stroke centres with 24/7 thrombectomy service in Slovakia. The unit participates in international clinical trials and registries, including the COATING trial, a randomized controlled study evaluating coated flow-diverter stents under single antiplatelet therapy, and the TRUST registry, focusing on real-world outcomes of contemporary endovascular stroke treatment.
Original clinical research from the department has contributed to the evidence base in acute stroke care and neurointervention. Recent publications include a study on rescue stenting of isolated middle cerebral artery dissections using antithrombogenic coated stents and mono-antiplatelet therapy, and a prospective analysis of the impact of recanalisation level and first-pass effect on functional outcomes after M2 segment thrombectomy, led by Dr. Štefan Pataky with Dr. Jakub Fedorko and Dr. Piotr Pedowski as co-authors. In addition, KRaZM contributes to multicentre studies on predictors of good clinical outcome after endovascular treatment of large-vessel occlusions.
Beyond vascular interventions, the department actively develops non-vascular interventional radiology in hepatology and oncology. In cooperation with a dedicated interventional non-vascular radiology team led by Dr. Viliam Weis, KRaZM introduced CT-guided percutaneous tumour cryoablation, a method using extreme cold down to –140 °C as a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery, unique in Eastern Slovakia. The team also performs complex portal and hepatobiliary procedures and image-guided ablative therapies, providing state-of-the-art treatment options for oncological patients in the region.
KRaZM is at the forefront of artificial-intelligence-assisted radiology in Slovakia. L. Pasteur University Hospital, in collaboration with the department, was one of the first hospital in the country to implement advanced AI software for automated fracture detection on emergency X-ray imaging, achieving high diagnostic accuracy and significantly shortening reporting times, which allows radiologists to focus on the most complex cases. Further AI-based tools in CT and MR imaging and workflow optimisation are being explored in cooperation with technology partners and engineering teams from the Technical University of Košice.
