Cardiopulmonary imaging utilization and findings among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Latin America (From RIMAC: Registry IMAging Cardiopulmonary among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in LATAM)

Objectives To describe the use and findings of cardiopulmonary imaging - chest X-ray (cX-ray), echocardiography (cEcho), chest CT (cCT), lung ultrasound (LUS)) and/or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) - in COVID-19-associated hospitalizations in Latin America (LATAM) Background The SARS-Cov-2 is one of the largest and most active threats to healthcare in living memory. There is an information gap on imaging services resources (ISR) used and their findings during the pandemic in LATAM. Methods This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study of COVID-19 inpatients conducted from March to December 2020 from 12 high-complexity centers in nine LATAM countries. Adults (> 18 yrs) with at least one imaging modality performed, followed from admission until discharge and/or in-hospital death, were included. Results We studied 1435 hospitalized patients (64% males) with a median age of 58 years classified into three regions: 262 from Mexico (Mx), 428 from Central America and Caribbean (CAC), and 745 from South America (SAm). More frequent comorbidities were overweight/obesity (61%), hypertension (45%), and diabetes (27%). During hospitalization, 58% were admitted to ICU. The in-hospital mortality was 28% (95%CI 25-30) highest in Mx (37%). The most frequent cardiopulmonary imaging performed were cCT (61%)-more frequent in Mx and SAm-, and cX-ray (46%) -significantly used in CAC-. The cEcho was carried out in 18%, similarly among regions, and LUS in 7%, more frequently in Mx. The cMRI was performed in only one patient in the cohort. Abnormal findings on the cX-ray were related to peripheral (63%) or basal infiltrates (52%), and in cCT with ground glass infiltrates (89%). Both were more commonly in Mx. In LUS, interstitial syndrome (56%) was the most related abnormal finding, predominantly in Mx and CAC. Conclusions The use and findings of cardiopulmonary imaging in LATAM varied between regions and may have been influenced by clinical needs, the personnel protection measures and/or hospitalization location.

Abdominal Imaging Utilization during the First COVID-19 Surge and Utility of Abdominal MRI

We sought to determine relative utilization of abdominal imaging modalities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients at a single institution during the first surge and evaluate whether abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changed diagnosis and management. 1107 COVID-19 patients who had abdominal imaging were analyzed for modality and imaging setting. Patients who underwent abdominal MRI were reviewed to determine impact on management. Of 2259 examinations, 80% were inpatient, 14% were emergency, and 6% were outpatient consisting of 55% radiograph (XR), 31% computed tomography (CT), 13% ultrasound (US), and 0.6% MRI. Among 1107 patients, abdominal MRI was performed in 12 within 100 days of positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR. Indications were unrelated to COVID-19 in 75% while MRI was performed for workup of acute liver dysfunction in 25%. In 1 of 12 patients, MRI resulted in change to management unrelated to COVID-19 diagnosis. During the first surge of COVID-19 at one institution, the most common abdominal imaging examinations were radiographs and CT followed by ultrasound with the majority being performed as inpatients. Future COVID-19 surges may place disproportionate demands on inpatient abdominal radiography and CT resources. Abdominal MRI was rarely performed and did not lead to change in diagnosis or management related to COVID-19 but needs higher patient numbers for accurate assessment of utility.

Multi-Health System Comparison of Diagnostic Testing in Hospitalized Sepsis Patients

Introduction/Objective Comparisons of diagnostic testing across multiple health systems over multiple years are uncommon. Such comparisons would quantify variations in test use between health systems. Methods/Case Report Using the Vizient Clinical Database, we compared clinical laboratory and imaging utilization for hospitalized adult sepsis patients (N = 69,035) over three years (2017-2019) at 19 large academic-affiliated health systems across the United States. We used Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MSDRG), employed by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and identified sepsis patients (MSDRG triplet 870/871/872). We stratified hospitalized sepsis patients by severity of illness (SOI) into high severity (MSDRG 870), moderate severity (MSDRG 871), and low severity (MSDRG 872) groups. SOI further categorizes patients within a diagnostic group, quantifying the extent of comorbid conditions and complications. We measured hospital length of stay (LOS), number of laboratory tests (CPT codes 80000-89999), and number of imaging studies (CPT codes 70000-79999). We divided the number of laboratory tests and radiology studies by mean hospital LOS (in days) to calculate laboratory tests and imaging studies per hospital day. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) Between health systems, lowest and highest values for laboratory and imaging utilization ranged from 50.1 to 141.3 tests per hospitalization and 1.4 to 7.2 studies per hospitalization, respectively. Differences in laboratory tests between health systems persisted after adjusting for SOI with low to high laboratory tests per hospitalization ranging from 127.8 to 405.7, 51.0 to 144.7, and 31.9 to 78.2, for high, moderate, and low SOI groups. Utilization ranges were smaller for imaging studies. After adjusting for hospital LOS, laboratory testing differences between health systems were more pronounced and with low and high laboratory test per day utilization of 6.5 to 24.3, 6.1 to 18.5, and 6.0 to 17.1, for high, moderate, and low SOI groups. Differences in radiology studies were not as pronounced after adjusting for LOS. Conclusion There is considerable variation among health systems in laboratory and radiology resource utilization for hospitalized sepsis patients. This variation persists, especially for laboratory testing, after adjusting for SOI and LOS.

Breast Hemangioma: Unique Presentation In a Patient with Klippel-Trenaunay-Syndrome

Background: Klippel–Trénaunay-Syndrome (KTS) is characterized by triad of varicose veins, port wine stain and soft tissue or bony hypertrophy and the diagnosis of KTS can be made if any two of these three features are present. Hemangiomas in various location e.g. skull, brain, epidural and vertebral hemangioma, mediastinal, colonic hemangioma, intraneural/intramuscular hemangiomas are reported with KTS. Case Presentation: Benign vascular tumors may rarely develop malignant transformation as Bugarin-Estrada et al reported breast angiosarcoma in a patient diagnosed as Klippel-Trenaunay-Syndrome. We reported a case of a 40-year-old female with known case of Klipple-Trenaunay-Syndrome with left leg varicosities, cutaneous nevus as well as unfortunate development of deep venous thrombosis and markedly enlarged right breast hemangioma. Due to low incidence or lack of early detection of breast hemangioma, its diagnosis is challenging. Conclusion: The history of patient and multi-modality imaging utilization can help in early and accurate diagnosis of diseases leading to better prognosis.