Radiation exposure in patients during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction
Despite advances in knowledge about COVID-19, it remains a multifaceted disease, with several aspects still requiring further investigation. There is an ongoing need to access and understand long-term, lasting effects of COVID-19 or its clinical handling. The main objective is to analyze risks associated with the radiological investigation performed in patients with neurological symptoms and COVID-19 during the initial pandemic.
Methods
A group of 116 patients, referred to a Neurological-Unit during the initial semestre (Apr-Sep/2020) of the pandemic in Pernambuco, Brazil, and positivity (SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR) for COVID-19 was compared to a similar group, conducted under the same institutional protocols, in a pre-pandemic period. All investigation data used are part of Institutional-Clinical-Image-Databank (BIC-HPS), which automatically stores all imaging performed at the Unit. Groups were similar (in age, p=0.73; sex, p=0.78; and main comorbidities at admission: hypertension p=0.30, diabetes-2, p=0.09).
Results
The COVID-19-group was submitted to a significantly greater number of investigations (medical imaging: p<0.001, radiological exams: p<0.001, and number of tomographic scans: on average: 3.4, 1-12, ±2.0, p<0.001), surpassing safety-limits for radiation exposure.
Conclusions
The study points out the elevated number of clinical investigations undertaken in COVID-19 patients during early pandemic and highlights risks associated – including long-term health risks associated with radiation exposure.