Low-dose CT for diagnosing intestinal obstruction and pneumoperitoneum; need for retakes and diagnostic accuracy

One of the main concerns using low-dose (LD) CT for evaluation of patients with suspected intestinal obstruction or pneumoperitoneum is the potential need to make an additional standard-dose (SD) CT scan (retake) due to insufficient diagnostic accuracy of the LD CT.

To determine the frequency of retakes and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of LD CT for the assessment of intestinal obstruction and pneumoperitoneum.

This retrospective study registered all LD CT scans over a one-year period at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark in patients with suspected intestinal obstruction or perforation, comprising a total of 643 LD CT scans. A retake was defined as a SD CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis performed with or without intravenous contrast within 72 h after the initial LD CT due to either continued suspicion of intestinal obstruction or perforation or due to unclarified secondary findings. The sensitivity and specificity of LD CT for diagnosing intestinal obstruction and pneumoperitoneum compared to the discharge diagnoses of the scanned patients were determined.

The frequency of retakes was 3%. The overall LD CT sensitivity and specificity for assessment of patients with suspected intestinal obstruction and pneumoperitoneum was 83% and 99%, respectively, but higher in certain subgroups.

LD CT led to few retakes and had a high diagnostic accuracy for diagnosing intestinal obstruction and pneumoperitoneum. Thus, LD CT can be recommended as the examination of choice in patients with suspected intestinal obstruction or perforation in order to reduce radiation dose.