Routine whole-body CT identifies clinically significant findings in patients supported with veno-venous...

To determine the yield of routine whole-body computed tomography (CT) following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) initiation and to assess the association of these findings with prognosis.

One hundred and ninety-eight consecutive patients with acute respiratory failure admitted for ECMO support between January 2015 and December 2019 who underwent whole-body CT performed within 48 h of ECMO initiation were examined in this single-institution retrospective study. CT findings were divided into three categories: clinically significant findings that may affect immediate management strategy or short-term outcomes; findings not related to hospital stay or outcome but require further workup; and benign findings that do not require further investigation. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of CT findings with 7- and 30-day survival.

Clinically significant findings were present in 147 (74%) patients, findings requiring further workup were found in 82 (41%) patients, and benign findings were identified in 180 (90%) of the patients. Patients with clinically significant neurological findings had an elevated risk of death at 7 days (odds ratio [OR] 3.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29; 9.93; p=0.01), but not 30 days. Increasing numbers of clinically significant findings were associated with greater odds of mortality at 7 days (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.08; 2.67; p=0.02) and 30 days (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.02; 1.96; p=0.04).

Imaging patients at the point of admission for VV-ECMO with CT frequently identified clinically significant abnormalities with prognostic implications of these. These findings provide support for the use of more routine CT at the point of treatment escalation with prospective studies now required.