Comparison of Radiological Imaging and Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction Test in Preoperative Screening for Detection of COVID-19

Abstract

Objective:It was aimed to compare the diagnostic rates of radiological diagnostic methods such as chest X-rays and chest computerized tomography (CCT) and swab (throat and nose) reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR) in preoperative screening for the detection of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection.Method:One hundred-seven preoperative patients who were asymptomatic for COVID-19 were retrospectively evaluated. Their demographic data were evaluated along with RT-PCR test results, chest X-rays and CCTs defined according to the Radiological Society of North America expert consensus on COVID-19.Results:Chest X-rays were performed in 55 (51.4%) cases, and CCT in 52 (48.6%) patients. None of the chest X-rays displayed findings of COVID-19 infection. In 2 (3.8%) CCTs, typical findings of COVID-19 infection were observed. Four (3.7%) cases were RT-PCR positive. The diagnostic rate of radiological methods (chest X-rays and CCT) for COVID-19 was 1.8%, while that of RT-PCR was 3.7%. CCT had a sensitivity of 50%, a specificity of 98%, and accuracy of 96% when compared to RT-PCR for the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection during the preoperative screening of asymptomatic patients.Conclusion:Radiological diagnostic methods such as chest X-ray and CCT should not be mandatorily/routinely suggested because of their low sensitivity in the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection in preoperative screening for asymptomatic cases. More studies with larger patient populations will be more illuminating on this issue.

Keywords

• chest computerized tomography
• covid-19
• preoperative screening
• rt-pcr test