Chest | 2019
RADIOLOGICAL IMAGING IN COPD READMISSIONS: COST, EXPOSURE, OR DIAGNOSIS?
Abstract
METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis utilizing an inpatient database collected from chart review. Patients admitted to Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, West, and Beth Israel hospitals from 1/1/17 to 3/9/19 were included in analysis. Inclusion criteria: more than one admission for COPD exacerbation by ICD 10 coding. Primary end points were cumulative effective radiation dosage, estimated cost, and diagnostic yield. Normalized effective dose per dose-length product (DLP) was calculated by multiplying the DLP (mGy*cm) obtained in the study report by 0.014 the conversion factor for adult CT Chest. Exposure from a single chest X-ray was estimated to be 0.1 mSv. Estimated cost was obtained from Health Care Blue Book, a free online database for regional healthcare costs. Diagnostic yield was calculated based on radiologist reported findings of pneumonia, pneumothorax, or pulmonary embolism. Data includes ED visits. Only definitive language for radiological pneumonia was accepted. All radiological findings were obtained from the respective finalized test report. Analysis was performed with Microsoft (r) Excel 2016.