title: 64-MDCT in mass casualty incidents: volume image reading boosts radiological workflow.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the use of 64-MDCT and volume image reading on the radiologic workflow during a mass casualty incident simulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this simulation, casualties were taken to our level I trauma center, and triage was done with whole-body 64-MDCT. The complete raw dataset of thin-section images was sent to a dedicated 3D workstation for further interpretation and simultaneous reformations. This new reading method is called volume image reading. Several time frames were documented to evaluate the workflow: examination time, time needed for image processing, and mean image transfer rates. The results were compared with those of a previous study using a 4-MDCT with axial images only and transfer of data to a PACS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The time for complete image processing (acquisition, reconstruction, and transfer) for 64-MDCT was 4.1 minutes (range, 3.9-4.3 minutes) compared with 9.0 minutes (range, 6.4-10.2 minutes) for 4-MDCT (p ≤ 0.001). The image processing capacity was 14.8 examinations/h for 64-MDCT compared with 6.7 examinations/h for 4-MDCT. The mean number of images was 953 for 64-MDCT compared with 202 for 4-MDCT (p ≤ 0.001). There were no significant differences between 64- and 4-MDCT for the time needed to prepare patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of 64-MDCT with volume image reading led to evident advantages in the radiologic trauma workflow compared with 4-MDCT. Reading of the full image set including reformations can be initiated earlier with volume image reading.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Munich University Hospital, Nussbaumstrasse 20, Munich 80336, Germany. mkoerner@med.lmu.de
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Körner
authors.forename: Lucas L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Geyer
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wirth
authors.forename: Maximilian F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reiser
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Linsenmaier
mesh_terms: D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D054527:Mass Casualty Incidents; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D014218:Triage; D051598:Whole Body Imaging; D057188:Workflow; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*