Accelerated implementation of remote reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM: To assess, via a survey of UK radiological departments, if the COVID-19 pandemic led to a change in radiological reporting undertaken in a home environment with appropriate IT support. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All imaging departments in the UK were contacted and asked about the provision of home reporting and IT support before and after the first wave of the pandemic. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-seven of the 217 departments contacted replied, producing a response rate of 61%. There was a 147% increase in the provision of remote access viewing and reporting platforms during the pandemic. Although 578 consultants had access to a viewing platform pre-pandemic, this had increased to 1,431 during the course of the first wave. CONCLUSION: This survey represents work undertaken by UK NHS Trusts in co-ordinating and providing increased home-reporting facilities to UK radiologists during the first wave of this global pandemic. The impact of these facilities has been shown to allow more than just the provision of reporting of both elective and emergency imaging and provides additional flexibility in how UK radiologists can help support and provide services. This is a good start, but there are potential problems that now need to be overcome.

A national UK audit for diagnostic accuracy of preoperative CT chest in emergency and elective surgery during COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM: To report on a snap audit of all departments in the UK as to the value of preoperative thoracic imaging, preferably computed tomography (CT), of patients undergoing any surgery to assess for changes consistent with COVID-19 preoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All Imaging departments in the UK were contacted and asked to record the number of preoperative CT examinations performed in patients being considered for both emergency and elective surgical intervention over a 5-day period in May 2020. RESULTS: Forty-seven percent of departments replied with data provided on >820 patients. Nineteen percent of additional preoperative CT was in patients undergoing elective intervention and 81% in patients presenting with surgical abdominal pain. There was a high rate of false positives in patients who tested negative for COVID-19, producing a sensitivity for thoracic CT of 68.4%. CONCLUSION: This UK-wide audit demonstrates that a large number of additional thoracic imaging examinations over a 5-day period were performed with a low sensitivity for the identification of COVID-19 in this preoperative group of patients. Given these findings, it is difficult to justify this additional examination in this group of patients.