Experts Claim CT Scans For COVID-19 Diagnosis is Flawed

The Yuan requests your support! Our content will now be available free of charge for all registered subscribers, consistent with our mission to make AI a human commons accessible to all. We are therefore requesting donations from our readers so we may continue bringing you insightful reportage of this awesome technology that is sweeping the world. Donate now

By Dan Elton | Jan 10, 2022

Image courtesy of and under license from Shutterstock.com

As the novel coronavirus evolved from epidemic to pandemic, early research suggested CT scans provided the best diagnosis for COVID-19. It turns out that the information was flawed. Data scientist and Google Scholar Dan Elton takes a closer look at the studies published.

SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS - On February 26, 2020, the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) put out a press release proclaiming ‘CT (computed tomography) Provides Best Diagnosis for COVID-19.’ The announcement was quickly picked up by news outlets such as Science Daily, EurekaAlert, and a number of other medical news sites.

Collage from Luke Oakden-Rayner

The lead in the RSNA’s press release states:

“In a study of more than 1,000 patients published in the journal Radiology, chest CT outperformed lab testing in the diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The researchers concluded that CT should be used as the primary screening tool for COVID-19.”

They then go on to note:

“...recent research found that the sensitivity of CT for COVID-19 infection was 98 percent compared to RT-PCR (polymerase chain reaction) sensitivity of 71 percent.”

This statement aroused some skepticism. How could CT provide a better test result than PCR if most COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic? Do people with asymptomatic COVID-19 have abnormalities in their lungs?

Radiologist Dr Luke Oakden-Rayn

The content herein is subject to copyright by The Yuan. All rights reserved. The content of the services is owned or licensed to The Yuan. Such content from The Yuan may be shared and reprinted but must clearly identify The Yuan as its original source. Content from a third-party copyright holder identified in the copyright notice contained in such third party’s content appearing in The Yuan must likewise be clearly labeled as such.

GET STARTED

- or -