How We do CT Reporting Remotely?
A remote CT reporting procedure is explained below:
Collection of Clinical data
Before refereeing a patient for a radiological examination, a physician must stude the complete clinical presentation of a patient
This data is crucial to roughly determine a disease cause, which then can be confirmed through radiology.
Based on the patient's condition, their case can be categorized under the routine, urgent, or emergency/STAT category.
After the collection of this clinical data, the physician refers the patient to a radiologist.
Selection of a Radiological Examination
During this step, the radiologist, too, assesses the patient's condition.
Based on this information the radiologist selects a suitable imaging modality (in this case, further information will be based on CT scan).
Pre-test Preparation
Before any radiological examination, certain screenings and patient preparations need to be performed.
These preparations depend on the type of CT chosen, and includes fasting, hydration, oral contrast ingestion, etc.
The patient needs to be screened for allergies, blood pressure, or any other condition that might interfere with the CT or endanger the patient.
Performing the CT Scan and Image Acquisition
After the necessary preparation are done, the technician will perform the CT scan
They must follow the standardized protocol to ensure maximum efficiency and patient safety.
Based on the type of CT, the protocol might be slightly different.
Image reconstruction and Quality Check
After the CT procedure is completed, raw data in the form of multiple 2D images is obtained.
In CT, these images are reconstructed into a high-resolution 3D image.
After the necessary quality checks, which include observing the technical aspects and presence of artifacts, the image is ready for assessment.
Image Transfer
The obtained image is transferred to the hospital’s PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) or another cloud-based system.
These systems are generally encrypted to ensure patient data safety.
Remote CT Reporting by a Radiologist
After the images are successfully obtained, the case is allocated to a CT radiologist specialising in the required subspecialty (neuro, musculoskeletal, abdominal, etc.) These CT specialists provide their reporting services remotely.
The radiologist then assesses the image to check for any abnormalities. These observations are paired with the clinical history to accurately determine the etiology.
If the findings point to an urgent/life-threatening condition, the radiologist may verbally or electronically communicate the results before the final report preparation.
Final Report Preparation
If the findings indicate a routine category case (or if the results are priorly communicated to the physician for a STAT patient), the radiologist prepares the final case report.
The report formats are standardized to maintain consistency. The radiologist must clearly and accurately present the findings in this finalized report.
After the report is rechecked, the radiologist electronically signs it and then delivers it to the clinician
Maintaining the Report in the Hospital System
The final CT report is entered into the hospital EMR, or RIS/PACS.
These systems are used to securely store the radiological findings data and maintain it for future use.
