Objective: To investigate the number of performed computed tomography (CT) scans in emergency department at our institution during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in comparison to the same period of the previous year. Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, we evaluated CT imaging data in the emergency department in April to June timespan in the years of 2019 and 2020. Monthly admitted patient numbers, CT imaging case volumes, age and gender of the patients underwent CT scans at emergency department were noted and compared for each year. For the year 2020, among the CT performed patients who had suspicious and nonsuspicious symptoms for COVID-19 and who had positive reverse transcryptase polymerase chain reaction test were noted for each month. The Student t-test was used for comparison of variables in two groups. Results: In 2020, despite the decrease in total number of patients admitted to emergency department, CT utilization was increased more than 12 times compared to 2019. In comparison to 2019, the mean age of CT performed patients was significantly younger in 2020 (p<0.001). Among the CT performed patients, brain (68.5%) and chest (88.6%) were the most scanned anatomical sites in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Based on couple comparisons for all anatomical sites, there was a significant increase in chest CT utilization in 2020 (p<0.001). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic CT usages increased, a higher rate of chest CT was performed and younger patients were scanned in emergency department compared with 2019.
Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Computed Tomography Usages in Emergency Department: Cross-sectional Study: Turkiye Klinkeri Journal of Medical Sciences