• FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
  • We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.

Stroke . Utility of Apical Lung Assessment on Computed Tomography Angiography as a COVID-19 Screen in Acute Stroke

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Stroke


. 2020 Oct 29;STROKEAHA120030959.
doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.030959. Online ahead of print.
Utility of Apical Lung Assessment on Computed Tomography Angiography as a COVID-19 Screen in Acute Stroke


Charles Esenwa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ji-Ae Lee[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Taha Nisar[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anna Shmukler[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Inessa Goldman[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Richard Zampolin[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Kevin Hsu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Daniel Labovitz[SUP] 1 [/SUP], David Altschul[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Linda B Haramati[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP]



Affiliations

Abstract

Background and purpose: Evaluation of the lung apices using computed tomography angiography of the head and neck during acute ischemic stroke (AIS) can provide the first objective opportunity to screen for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Methods: We performed an analysis assessing the utility of apical lung exam on computed tomography angiography for COVID-19-specific lung findings in 57 patients presenting with AIS. We measured the diagnostic accuracy of apical lung assessment alone and in combination with patient-reported symptoms and incorporate both to propose a COVID-19 era AIS algorithm.
Results: Apical lung assessment when used in isolation, yielded a sensitivity of 0.67, specificity of 0.93, positive predictive value of 0.19, negative predictive value of 0.99, and accuracy of 0.92 for the diagnosis of COVID-19, in patients presenting to the hospital for AIS. When combined with self-reported clinical symptoms of cough or shortness of breath, sensitivity of apical lung assessment improved to 0.83.
Conclusions: Apical lung assessment on computed tomography angiography is an accurate screening tool for COVID-19 and can serve as part of a combined screening approach in AIS.

Keywords: computed tomography angiography; data collection; dyspnea; self-report; stroke.
 
Back
Top Bottom