Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography Utilization in the Emergency Department During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: To determine if computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) ordering increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic in an emergency department (ED) setting; if positive findings for pulmonary embolism (PE) increased to the same degree; and whether COVID-positive patients have a higher incidence of PE than COVID-negative patients at ED presentation. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of CTPA performed in our ED between June and December in 2019 and 2020. We collected data on patient demographics, symptoms, COVID-19 status, lab and imaging results, and risk factors for PE. We used a Wilcoxon rank sum to analyze quantitative variables and χ2 or Fisher test for categorical variables. We used logistic regression to identify predictive factors for PE. Results: CTPA ordering increased from 432 studies in 2019 to 699 in 2020 (+61.8%, P
Source: Journal of Thoracic Imaging - Category: Radiology Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research