Limited Clinical Impact of Ultralow-Dose Computed Tomography in Suspected Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2023 Apr 20;10(5):ofad215. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofad215. eCollection 2023 May.

Abstract

Patients clinically suspected of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) were randomized between ultralow-dose chest computed tomography ([ULDCT] 261 patients) and chest radiograph ([CXR] 231 patients). We did not find evidence that performing ULDCT instead of CXR affects antibiotic treatment policy or patient outcomes. However, in a subgroup of afebrile patients, there were more patients diagnosed with CAP in the ULDCT group (ULDCT, 106 of 608 patients; CXR, 71 of 654 patients; P = .001).

Keywords: adult; clinical decision making; emergency service; pneumonia; radiography.