19-09-2020

When the researchers saw these changes in the top of the lungs during the emergency emergency scan, they were able to reliably and accurately diagnose Covid-19 and the changes also predicted increased mortality.

New research has found that Covid-19 may be diagnosed on the same emergency scans intended to diagnose stroke. Published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology, the research showed that the emergency scans captured images of the top of the lungs where a fluffiness known as �ground glass opacification� allowed Covid-19 to be diagnosed.

Researchers from the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King�s College London, examined 225 patients from three London Hyper-Acute Stroke Units.

The emergency stroke scan consisted of a CT of the head and neck blood vessels. When the researchers saw these changes in the top of the lungs during the emergency emergency scan, they were able to reliably and accurately diagnose Covid-19 and the changes also predicted increased mortality.

�This is particularly relevant given the limitations of currently available RT-PCR testing as it takes time to complete the test and sometimes it is inaccurate,� study lead author Dr Thomas Booth said in a statement.

�These are useful results because the changes are simple for radiologists and other doctors to see. This is �free information� from a scan intended for another purpose yet extremely valuable,�reports stated.