TY - JOUR
T1 - Utility of multiple rule out CT screening of high-risk atraumatic patients in an emergency department—a feasibility study
AU - Pries-Heje, Mia M.
AU - Hasselbalch, Rasmus B.
AU - Raaschou, Henriette
AU - Rezanavaz-Gheshlagh, Bijan
AU - Heebøll, Hanne
AU - Rehman, Shazia
AU - Kristensen, Mariana
AU - Andersen, Erik Henning
AU - Ravn, Lisbet
AU - Nèmery, Michel C.
AU - Lind, Morten N.
AU - Boel, Thomas
AU - Ulriksen, Peter Sommer
AU - Iversen, Kasper K.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Background: Several large trials have evaluated the effect of CT screening based on specific symptoms, with varying outcomes. Screening of patients with CT based on their prognosis alone has not been examined before. For moderate-to-high risk patients presenting in the emergency department (ED), the potential gain from a CT scan might outweigh the risk of radiation exposure. We hypothesized that an accelerated “multiple rule out” CT screening of moderate-to-high risk patients will detect many clinically unrecognized diagnoses that affect change in treatment. Method: Patients ≥ 40 years, triaged as high-risk or moderate-to-high risk according to vital signs, were eligible for inclusion. Patients were scanned with a combined ECG-gated and dual energy CT scan of cerebrum, thorax, and abdomen. The impact of the CT scan on patient diagnosis and treatment was examined prospectively by an expert panel. Results: A total of 100 patients were included in the study, (53% female, mean age 73 years [age range, 43–93]). The scan lead to change in treatment or additional examinations in 37 (37%) patients, of which 24 (24%) were diagnostically significant, change in acute treatment in 11 (11%) cases and previously unrecognized malignant tumors in 10 (10%) cases. The mean size specific radiation dose was 15.9 mSv (± 3.1 mSv). Conclusion: Screening with a multi-rule out CT scan of high-risk patients in an ED is feasible and result in discovery of clinically unrecognized diagnoses and malignant tumors, but at the cost of radiation exposure and downstream examinations. The clinical impact of these findings should be evaluated in a larger randomized cohort.
AB - Background: Several large trials have evaluated the effect of CT screening based on specific symptoms, with varying outcomes. Screening of patients with CT based on their prognosis alone has not been examined before. For moderate-to-high risk patients presenting in the emergency department (ED), the potential gain from a CT scan might outweigh the risk of radiation exposure. We hypothesized that an accelerated “multiple rule out” CT screening of moderate-to-high risk patients will detect many clinically unrecognized diagnoses that affect change in treatment. Method: Patients ≥ 40 years, triaged as high-risk or moderate-to-high risk according to vital signs, were eligible for inclusion. Patients were scanned with a combined ECG-gated and dual energy CT scan of cerebrum, thorax, and abdomen. The impact of the CT scan on patient diagnosis and treatment was examined prospectively by an expert panel. Results: A total of 100 patients were included in the study, (53% female, mean age 73 years [age range, 43–93]). The scan lead to change in treatment or additional examinations in 37 (37%) patients, of which 24 (24%) were diagnostically significant, change in acute treatment in 11 (11%) cases and previously unrecognized malignant tumors in 10 (10%) cases. The mean size specific radiation dose was 15.9 mSv (± 3.1 mSv). Conclusion: Screening with a multi-rule out CT scan of high-risk patients in an ED is feasible and result in discovery of clinically unrecognized diagnoses and malignant tumors, but at the cost of radiation exposure and downstream examinations. The clinical impact of these findings should be evaluated in a larger randomized cohort.
KW - Acute care
KW - CT
KW - CT screening
KW - Early diagnostics
KW - Emergency department
KW - Emergency radiology
U2 - 10.1007/s10140-018-1584-0
DO - 10.1007/s10140-018-1584-0
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 29455390
AN - SCOPUS:85042129384
VL - 25
SP - 357
EP - 365
JO - Emergency Radiology
JF - Emergency Radiology
SN - 1070-3004
IS - 4
ER -