Table 4.
Summary of official guidelines regarding imaging of Covid-19 patients.
| Chest x-ray | Chest CT | Lung ultrasound | |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Society of Thoracic Imaginghttps://www.bsti.org.uk/ | For critically ill patients. For stable patients, only if clinically required. |
Only for critically ill patients who have inconclusive CXR results. | Suggested to be used as a monitoring tool in critically ill patients. |
| European Society of Radiology/European Society of Thoracic Imaginghttps://www.myesr.org/https://www.myesti.org/ | For imaging within ICU units. | Restricted use of chest CT is recommended. | Suggested to be used at the bedside. |
| American College of Radiologyhttps://www.acr.org/ | Not recommended for diagnosis. No impact on clinical outcomes. Mobile CXR is suggested when clinically necessary. | Not recommended unless imaging will have an impact on management. | No information included. |
| Canadian Association of Radiologists/Canadian Society of Thoracic Radiologyhttps://car.ca/covid-19/ | Limited use has been suggested, to those in whom results will change the management plan. Mobile CXR is recommended. | Not recommended unless clinically required. | No information included. |
| Royal College of Radiologistshttps://www.rcr.ac.uk/ | For critically ill patients. | Suggested to be used only in critically ill patients, and when is likely to change the management plan. | No information included. |
| Fleischner Society (an international consortium of medical imaging of the lungs)https://fleischner.memberclicks.net/ | Not recommended in patients with mild symptoms. Indicated for critically ill patients. Its lower sensitivity compared to CT is underlined. Final decision is left to clinicians. | Not recommended in patients with mild symptoms. Indicated for critically ill patients. Final decision is left to clinicians. | No information included. |
| Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburghhttps://www.rcsed.ac.uk/ | No information included. | Only when it is likely to change the management plan, and for patients who will need critical care in their postoperative recovery. | No information included. |
| Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologistshttps://www.ranzcr.com/our-work/coronavirus/position-statements-and-guidance | Recommended for hospitalised patients and monitoring of the disease. | Not recommended. | No information included. |
| International Society of Radiographers & Radiological Technologists (ISRRT)https://www.isrrt.org/(resources shared with the EFRS website) | Mobile CXR is recommended. | Not recommended for diagnosis or as a first-line tool. | Mobile equipment is suggested to be used. |