Table 1.

Classification of stroke unit as defined by the current Act 70/2015 of the Italian health government

First level stroke unit	Multiprofessional competences into hospital
	Dedicated neurologist and nurses
	One bed with continuous monitoring, at least
	Early rehabilitation
	Intravenous thrombolysis
	Neurosurgical on-call availability (also in other hospital)
	Neurosonology with Doppler ultrasound and echocardiography 24/7 availability of CT scan and CT angiography (at least 16 multislices) and/or MR (also with DWI) and MR angiography
	Linking with second level stroke units and rehabilitation units
Second level stroke unit	The same as first level and:
	500 admissions/year at least
	24/4 neuroradiology with CT (64 multislices) and CT angiography, MR with DW and PW images and MR angiography
	Endovascular interventional unit
	24/7 neurosurgery
	24/7 vascular surgery
	Cerebral angiography
	Intra-arterial thrombolysis (urgency), mechanical thrombectomy (urgency), extra- and intracranial stenting
	Urgent embolization of arteriovenous malformations and aneurisms, endarterectomy
	Decompressive hemicraniectomy
	Aneurismal clipping