The UK surgical Royal Colleges have produced advice and guidelines on COVID-19. The use of additional chest CT to assess for the presence of likely COVID-19 infection may have a role in stratifying risk in patients presenting acutely and requiring a CT abdomen, particularly those needing emergency surgery. In the absence of rapid access to other forms of COVID testing, this is appropriate if it will change the management of the patient. However, a negative scan would not exclude COVID-19 infection. As with all other advice at the moment, this may change.
See additional RCR statements on the role of CT chest:
- 26 June 2020: The role of CT chest in patients presenting acutely and requiring an abdominal CT
- 14 May 2020: The role of CT in screening elective pre-operative patients
- 12 March 2020: The role of CT in patients suspected with COVID-19 infection