Emergency radiology
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Emergency radiology · Dec 2020
Observational StudyImpact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency CT head utilization in Ontario-an observational study of tertiary academic hospitals.
To determine the impact of the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the volume, indications, and results of CT heads performed in the emergency department (ED) at Canadian tertiary academic centers in Ontario. ⋯ The decreased volume of emergency CT heads performed during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant increase in the proportion of cases with acute findings. This could be a result of the pandemic's influence on the health-seeking behavior of patients as well as the decision-making process of ordering clinicians.
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Emergency radiology · Dec 2020
The role of initial chest X-ray in triaging patients with suspected COVID-19 during the pandemic.
The purpose of our research is to evaluate the usefulness of chest X-ray for triaging patients with suspected COVID-19 infection. ⋯ Initial chest X-ray is a useful tool for triaging those subjects who might have poor outcomes with suspected COVID-19 infection and benefit most from hospitalization.
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Emergency radiology · Dec 2020
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department CT for suspected diverticulitis.
This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department CT use for acute nontraumatic abdominal pain, to better understand why imaging volume so drastically decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Reduced emergency abdominopelvic CT volume during the COVID-19 pandemic can partially be explained by decreased imaging of lower acuity patients. This data may help formulate future strategies for imaging resource utilization with an improved understanding of the relationship between perceived imaging risk and symptom acuity.