Standardization of a CT Protocol for Imaging Patients with Suspected COVID-19-A RACOON Project

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Public Health

Background:

• Computed tomography (CT) protocols for COVID-19 diagnosis lack standardization.
• Variations exist in radiation exposure and image quality (IQ) across different institutions.
• The RACOON (Radiological Cooperative Network) project aimed to address these inconsistencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate non-contrast CT protocols used for COVID-19 diagnosis in the RACOON project.
• To consolidate CT protocols and develop recommendations for future pandemic preparedness.
• To analyze CT parameters, IQ, radiation exposure, and patient characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of non-contrast CT acquisitions from COVID-19 patients (March-October 2020).
• Data collection included CT protocol parameters, IQ ratings, radiation dose (CTDIvol), and patient diameters.
• Analysis of data from 14 sites and 534 CT examinations.

Main Results:

• 81% of CT examinations achieved good image quality; suboptimal IQ was attributed to artefacts or noise.
• Tube potential varied (80-140 kVp), with most protocols using 100-120 kVp.
• Average radiation dose (CTDIvol) was 3.7 ± 3.4 mGy; most sites lacked specific COVID-19 CT protocols.

Conclusions:

• Significant variability exists in CT protocols for COVID-19 diagnosis regarding settings and radiation exposure.
• Recommendations for standardized IQ and protocol parameters are needed for comparable results across sites.
• Standardization will improve diagnostic consistency and radiation safety during pandemics.