Clinical utility of CAT body scans.

The results of 202 computerized axial tomography (CAT) body scans performed on hospitalized patients were analyzed for their accuracy and clinical utility. The sensitivity (80 per cent), specificity (70 per cent), and accuracy (77 per cent) were high but not superior to ultrasound examinations of the same area. The results of the CAT body scan affected patient management in 16 per cent of patients and affected the success of treatment in 1 per cent of patients. We conclude that for many abdominal conditions ultrasound scans are equally as accurate and substantially more cost-effective than CAT body scans, and that the clinical value of CAT body scans needs support from controlled clinical trials.