Don’t treat Covid based on CT scan alone: Govt to docs

Don’t treat Covid based on CT scan alone: Govt to docs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:22.10.2020

The state health department has asked doctors not to treat patients for Covid-19 based on CT scan reports alone.

Patients are being rushed to government hospitals with serious complications including septic shock because diagnosis and treatment is delayed, said health secretary J Radhakrishnan.

Several patients with symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cold and fatigue are treated for Covid-19 without undergoing RT-PCR test based on results of CT scan. Many patients refuse tests because they don’t want to be isolated as they think they could be ostracised by their neighbours. “Chances of missing diagnoses are higher when people are not tested,” he said.

Senior doctors say when tests and treatment delayed, risk of complications and death increase.

“Most deaths at our hospitals happened because tests were delayed. Many people, particularly the elderly, delayed tests as they were scared of being isolated,” said Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital dean Dr Therani Rajan. Complications and death in Covid-19 patients increase with age and among patients with comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension. “We have saved many patients with cancer, kidney and heart diseases as they came in early. We don’t treat patients based on just a scan report. Physical examination, patient history and lab reports all play a key role,” he said.

National Institute of Epidemiology deputy director Dr Prabhdeep Kaur said CT scan exposes patients to radiation. “It is required in patients who need it. But most patients don’t know that needless exposure can increase risk of cancer,” she said.

Many patients refuse RT-PCR test because they don’t want to be isolated as they think they could be ostracised by their neighbours