The role of CT of the chest in acute care

Julian Dobranowski, MD, is a professor and chair in the Department of Radiology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, as well as chief of Diagnostic Imaging at Niagara Health System and chair of the steering and scientific committees of the Juravinski Research Institute.

What is the added benefit of a CT scan of the chest in acute care?

Julian Dobranowski, MD: A computed tomography (CT) scan is one in an arsenal of tests that we have actually to be able to make diagnoses for patients and also to follow up patients. The value of a CT scan is (1) confirming the diagnosis, (2) making sure that we’re on the right track to initiate therapy, and (3) once we’ve initiated a therapy, to make sure that the patient’s therapies are going in the right direction. That’s the main value.