TITLE:
Imaging Findings in Chest Computed Tomography: Initial Experience in a Developing Country
AUTHORS:
Adenike T. Adeniji-Sofoluwe, Ademola J. Adekanmi, Richard Efidi
KEYWORDS:
Chest, High Resolution Computed Tomography (CT), Findings
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Clinical Diagnostics,
Vol.7 No.4,
December
14,
2017
ABSTRACT: Background:High resolution chest computed tomography (HRCT) is
an established imaging modality that accurately assesses disease processes that
are non-specific on conventional chest radiography. Chest Computed Tomography
(CT) has proven invaluable in the evaluation of various diseases of the chest
providing precise diagnosis that have great impact on the course of management.
In this study, our aim is to evaluate the spectrum of radiological findings in
all patients that had chest CTs at a tertiary
health Institution in a developing Country. Method: This is a 6-year
retrospective study of all patients that had Chest CT from 2009 till 2015. All
patient data were retrieved and their Chest CT images reviewed and radiological
findings and diagnosis documented. Results: Age range of patients was 1 -
84 years with a mean of 52.36 ± 22.9 years. Ten patients were children (12%). There
were more males 53 (63.1%) than females 31 (36.9%) in the study. Referral for imaging was predominantly from internal
medicine 33 (47.1%) and Surgery 27 (38.6%) departments. Most of the patients,
53 (63.1%) did not have previous chest radiographs. Consolidative changes were
the most common parenchymal finding (77.4%). Few mediastinal masses were found
in the study population. CT angiography constituted only 10.7% of all chest CTs
done in adults. Conclusion: Few chest CT evaluations are performed
compared to CTs of other parts of the body done in the same period. Chest CT is
generally under-utilized even
in a tertiary institution. There is a need to educate chest physicians on the
role and advantages of CT use for the management of their patients.