Lot of queries around CT chest

Clarification for a few

1.When CT chest ?

5th to 7th day from the onset of symptoms

Or when the patinet is dyspenoeic or in happy hypoxia

2.I had fever 5 days back – now I m ok – no dyspnea – do I need a CT ?

3. I had CT findings of covid – now I ve completed 10 days or 2weeks post infection ,saturation is good and I m comfortable .Do I need to do a repeat CT to see for resolution?

NO need for repeat CT to check for resolution , if the patient is fine clinically . Lung lesions may take 6 to 8 weeks for resolution

4.One of my relative or known person was infected . Do I need to do a CT ?

Unless you are symptomatic , CT need not be done – do a RTPCR after a week of exposure or earlier if there are symptoms

5. When is CT pulmonary angio to be done in cases of Covid ?

Symptomatic case where dyspnea is disproportionately more than the lung involvement or if Ddimer is grossly elevated with patinet being symptomatic and when cardiac evaluation is suspicious for pulmonary thromboembolism

6.Do all cases of RTPCR positive cases need CT chest ?

If the patinet is symptomatic with persistent cough or wheeze or any other symptoms – CT to be done

8.RTPCR negative – but blood work up and symptoms are pointing towards viral infection do I need to do a CT chest ?

YES – it’s mainly done to know if lung has findings and to know the pattern and percentage of lung involvement- THIS IS MAINLY DONE TO QUARANTINE THE PATIENT – so he or she doesn’t spread the infection more in the community

9. I have the disease – do I need to take CT chest for my child ? NOT needed for children . Children are infected more with the new strain – but still the recovery is very good in child age group – chest X-ray would suffice – don’t do a CT unless the baby is sick or having tachypnea – mainly to rule out complications associated with disease – we have seen cases of secondary lung abscess in child with covid

10. Is chest CT bad for us – does it cause cancer ?

Modern day chest CT is done at low radiation . It is equal to the background radiation u get when u travel 10hours in a Boeing flight at high altitude . There is no evidence to say Diagnostic CT causes cancer in the past 50years.

Regards

Dr.R.Bavaharan

Consultant Interventional Radiologist

Magnum Imaging and Diagnostics

Trichy