Application of Mobile Helical Computed Tomography in Combatting COVID-19

Background: Chest computed tomography (CT) is a recommended screening and assessment tool for patients with suspected coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, CT units are currently not available in many temporary hospitals and centralized isolation places. Objectives: To delineate the workflow of mobile CT unit and evaluate its role in screening for COVID-19 infection in temporary hospitals and centralized isolation locations. Patients and Methods: Two hundred and twenty-three patients under medical observation in temporary centralized isolation were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing and mobile CT chest examinations. Communication, storage, and browsing of CT data were performed with 4G and cloud technology. Image quality and radiation dose were evaluated and compared with a commercial conventional 64-row CT scanner. Additionally, the sensitivity of initial chest CT and the initial RT-PCR for COVID-19 were compared. Results: CT examination of 223 patients was completed within 19 work hours. Communication, storage, and browsing of CT data via 4G and cloud technology were seamless. There were no significant differences in subjective image quality scores between groups (P > 0.05). COVID-19 pneumonia was eventually confirmed in 49 patients (21.97%). The sensitivity of initial chest CT was greater than that of the initial RT-PCR (85.71% and 67.35%, respectively) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Screening suspected patients for COVID-19 by mobile CT in temporary hospitals and isolation points is a simple, efficient, and highly sensitive technique for early diagnosis and control of COVID-19.