Radiology holds the key for detection of coronavirus

Radiology has assumed tremendous importance in diagnosis and prognostication during the COVID-19 pandemic, and lakhs of people are gradually but surely becoming aware of HRCT Scan, a diagnostic test conducted by the radiology department. Usually, for immediate assessment, the radiology department is right next to the emergency or casualty ward. When individuals enter a diagnosis room, they usually interact with radiographers, technologists, or support staff. The radiographers conduct the procedure of making a patient or a person undergo the scanning procedure under the specialists’ guidance.

When COVID-19 cases started to rise in March and a few months after that, undergoing tests was a hurdle worldwide, the private labs were permitted to conduct tests to detect the virus’s presence from mid-June. Until then, medical professionals in private hospitals heavily relied on High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) Scan reports used for assessing if a suspected patient had been infected by the coronavirus.

Dr. Ravuri said that COVID has a particular Computed Tomography (CT) imaging finding, which assists them to diagnose accurately. The doctor also said that it is useful for ruling out other underlying and severe infections based on specific chest imaging findings. Besides, physicians manage treatment protocols based on reports from radiologists.

Radiological investigations are also utilized for diagnosing COVID-19, including chest radiograph (X-Ray) and ultrasonography. During the treatment, CT scanning can identify Pulmonary Thrombo Embolism or Cerebral Venous Thrombosis, blood clots in the lungs, and the brain’s major blood vessels. Hence, radiology holds the accurate key to detect the coronavirus.