Seamless Integration of Artificial Intelligence Into the Clinical Environment: Our Experience With a Novel Pneumothorax Detection Artificial Intelligence Algorithm.

Although interest in artificial intelligence (AI) has exploded in recent years and led to the development of numerous commercial and noncommercial algorithms, the process of implementing such tools into day-to-day clinical practice is rarely described in the burgeoning AI literature. In this report, we describe our experience with the successful integration of an AI-enabled mobile x-ray scanner with an FDA-approved algorithm for detecting pneumothoraces into an end-to-end solution capable of extracting, delivering, and prioritizing positive studies within our thoracic radiology clinical workflow. We also detail several sample cases from our AI algorithm and associated PACS workflow in action to highlight key insights from our experience. We hope this report can help inform other radiology enterprises seeking to evaluate and implement AI-related workflow solutions into daily clinical practice.

COVID-19 infection complicated by acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Clinicians should be aware of the potential for cardiovascular involvement in COVID-19 infection. Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a viral illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2. While it primarily causes a respiratory illness, a number of important cardiovascular implications have been reported. We describe a patient presenting with COVID-19 whose hospital course was complicated by ST elevation myocardial infarction requiring percutaneous coronary intervention. The goal is to help clinicians gain awareness of the possibility of cardiovascular disease in COVID-19 infection, and maintain a high index of suspicion particularly for patients with risk factors or a prior history of cardiovascular disease.

Are asymptomatic gastrointestinal findings on imaging more common in COVID-19 infection? Study to determine frequency of abdominal findings of COVID-19 infection in patients with and without abdominal symptoms and in patients with chest-only CT scans.

PURPOSE: To identify incidence of abdominal findings in COVID-19 patients with and without abdominal symptoms on various imaging modalities including chest-only CT scans and to correlate them with clinical, laboratory and chest CT findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we searched our clinical database between March 1st, 2020 and May 22nd, 2020 to identify patients who had positive real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on throat swabs for COVID-19, had availability of clinical, laboratory information and had availability of CT scan of chest or abdominal radiograph, abdominal ultrasound or CT scan within 2 weeks of the diagnosis. Abdominal imaging findings on all imaging modalities were documented. Chest CT severity score (CT-SS) was assessed in all patients. Clinical and laboratory findings were recorded from the electronic medical record. Statistical analysis was performed to determine correlation of abdominal findings with CT-SS, clinical and laboratory findings. RESULTS: Out of 264 patients with positive RT-PCR, 73 patients (38 males and 35 females; 35 African American) with mean age of 62.2 (range 21-94) years were included. The median CTSS was 13.5 (IQR 75-25 18-8). Most common finding in the abdomen on CT scans (n = 72) were in the gastrointestinal system in 13/72 patients (18.1%) with fluid-filled colon without wall thickening or pericolonic stranding (n = 12) being the most common finding. Chest-only CT (n = 49) found bowel findings in 3 patients. CTSS did not differ in terms of age, sex, race or number of comorbidities but was associated with longer duration of hospitalization (p = 0.0.0256), longer intensive care unit stay (p = 0.0263), more frequent serum lactate dehydrogenase elevation (p = 0.0120) and serum C-reactive protein elevation (p = 0.0402). No statistically significant correlation of occurrence of bowel abnormalities with CTSS, clinical or laboratory features. Deep venous thrombosis was seen in 7/72 patients (9.8%) with three patients developing pulmonary embolism CONCLUSION: Abnormal bowel is the most common finding in the abdomen in patients with COVID-19 infection, is often without abdominal symptoms and occurs independent of severity of pulmonary involvement, other clinical and laboratory features.