Tamil Nadu: Tech helps create CT scan database for Covid studies

CHENNAI: More than 100 CT scans in 80 government hospitals linked to a cloud that in-service radiologists accessed from laptops to ensure results of nearly 1 lakh scans done in September were made available in 24 hours even at secondary care centres in rural areas and hilly terrain across TN. Besides providing lifesaving information to physicians, the lakhs of chest images done on Covid-19 patients and those suspected of having the virus will help doctors learn more about the disease, develop newer protocols and improve AI-assisted tools for diagnosis.

"The machines were installed over a period of time ahead of the pandemic. We did not have specialists all the time in all centres. So we used technology, or teleradiology. Last month, we recorded the most scans and average use of scan was up to double in rural centres," said Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation managing director P Umanath. With fewer road accidents, the monthly average of scans was down in some tertiary medical college hospitals. However, nearly 70% of the scans were chest CT for treatment of Covid-19, he said.

The state installed scan machines and deployed radiologists in 26 medical colleges, 31 headquarters hospitals and 23 taluk hospitals, the number depending on the need and size of the institution. Chennai-based Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) had six machines and 14 radiologists but most headquarters and taluk hospitals had one machine and one radiologist.

When scans are done post duty hours, duty doctors or technicians flag emergencies and radiologists from across the state can access scans on the cloud for interpretation. If doctors attached to scan centres are not available, from other centres interpreting reports will be paid a consultation fee of ₹50 per scan. Once all urgent scan reports are cleared, elective scans will be cleared by doctors within 24 hours. "The concept was developed two years ago to level out scarcity of radiologists. But during the pandemic, it helped offer services uniformly in urban and rural areas. We have authorised public labs in rural areas to do RT-PCR tests. Beds and scans in rural areas helped us in improving recovery rate and minimise deaths," said health secretary J Radhakrishnan.

"We certainly have the largest pool of clinical material compared to any other state or centre. Our scans were not limited to just patients in government hospitals," said RGGGH dean Dr Therani Rajan.

Radiologists at many institutions including Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital are already working with national and international experts on AI-assisted tools for Covid. "We have seen some of the most stunning images of how the virus affects patients during the infection and after recovery," said Dr C Amarnath, head of radiology at Stanley Medical College and Hospital.