Reporting of Inferior Vena Cava Filter Complications on CT: Impact of Standardized Macros

The objective of our study was to report the effect of implementing standardized inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) macros on the reporting of IVCFs and filter-related complications in abdominal CT reports.

Retrospective analysis was performed of all abdominal CT reports performed between October 2014 and January 2015 before implementation of IVCF macros (n = 5143). Duplicated examinations and studies requested specifically to evaluate known IVCFs were excluded. In March 2016, normal and abnormal standardized IVCF macros were implemented. Two radiologists reviewed all CT abdominal reports using IVCF macros between March 2016 to July 2016 to assess for missed IVCF complications.

Before the implementation of the IVCF macros, 146 of 5143 (2.8%) abdominal CT studies (89 men and 57 women; mean age, 59 years) showed an IVCF. After implementation of IVCF macros, 105 abdominal CT studies using the IVCF macros were analyzed (48 men and 57 women; mean age, 58 years), including 73 normal macros and 32 abnormal macros). The rate of reported caval penetration and filter element-organ interaction improved from 12% (9/73) to 57% (28/49) (p < 0.001) and from 0% (0/53) to 36% (9/25) (p < 0.001) before and after macro implementation, respectively. However, one filter fracture and two filter-associated thrombi were missed when using the IVCF macros.

Implementation of standardized IVCF macros improves reporting of IVCFs and IVCF-associated complications in abdominal CT reports.