Retrospective Analysis of Computed Tomography Utilization in A Nigerian Tertiary Hospital: An Analysis of Internal Hospital Requests for CT Scans
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71007/59adtd36Keywords:
computed tomography; utilization; protocols; referrals; requests; Medical departmentsAbstract
Introduction: Nationwide observations suggest that the utilization of computed tomography in Nigeria is skyrocketing rapidly. In UNTH and South-Eastern Nigeria as a whole, no research on the trends of utilization of this CT imaging has been carried out in the hospital to support this claim.
Aims: To evaluate trends in computed tomography utilization among the departments in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital and get insights on common computed tomography protocols requested.
Methods: A retrospective observational study of all CT examinations requested from various departments within the hospital over a period of 25-months (1st April 2022 to 31th April 2024). Data was classified according to the referring departments and the requested CT protocol (CT – brain, craniofacial, cranio-cervical, chest, abdominopelvic, whole body, spine, angiography, and urography).
Results: An overall 16.60% increase in CT utilization was recorded within the study period, from 60.89 CT requests per month in 2022 to 71 CT requests per month in 2024. The Accident and Emergency (A&E) department was the leading referrer in 2022, contributing to 31.6% of the requests, while the oncology department became the dominant referrer in 2023 and the early months of 2024, with 37.6% and 36.6% of the requests, respectively. The percent change in utilization rates of CT protocols were positive (suggestive of an increasing utilization rate) for CT-whole body, spine, urography, abdominopelvic and chest (364.3%, 112.5%, 65.0%, 19.4% and 10% respectively) but negative for CT-brain, angiography, cranio-cervical and craniofacial (-1.4%, -63.6%, -90.0% and -100.0% respectively).
Conclusions: The study revealed the increasing utilization of CT imaging in UNTH as the oncology and A&E departments heavily depended on its functionality and diagnostic reports. It is therefore expedient CT requests are evaluated for appropriateness to rule out possible incidences of over/under-utilization of CT across the various departments.
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