INTRODUCTION:Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is the recapturing of hemodynamic stability in a patient recently in cardiac arrest. Non-trauma cardiac arrest can be the sequela of several underlying pathologies. Whole body CT is a common imaging study used in Emergency Departments to further evaluate patients. Yet, the diagnostic value of whole-body CT is uncertain due to limited research. We hypothesized that CT scanning did not seem to often change clinical management, and added time, risk for decompensation during CT, and cost without clinical benefit. METHODS:This retrospective study included patients with return of spontaneous circulation after presenting to the University of Kentucky Emergency Department in nontraumatic cardiac arrest or upon arrival. This study included patients >18 years of age seen between Sept. 1st, 2019, and April 26th, 2020. Data were collected on whether the patient survived admission, survived to discharge, had a whole body CT, or had a selective CT of the head, chest, and abdomen. We analyzed each case and categorized findings into non-notable or notable findings, which could have impacted management. RESULTS: 360 total cases of cardiac arrest presenting to the ED were reviewed, of those, 265 were medical arrests, and 92 of those patients received CT scans, with the remainder either not surviving to scan or admitted without CT imaging as a post-arrest. 54 out of 92 received selective CT scans of the head, chest, or abdomen; and 38 received complete scans including all three head, chest, and abdomen. There was no significant difference in mortality or findings that explained the arrest between selective and whole-body CT. There was a significant difference between selective CT and WBCT with regard to notable findings with a P value of 0.04. CONCLUSIONS:In this small study of 92 cases of cardiac arrest with selective or whole body CT scan being obtained, we conclude that WBCT is helpful in finding injury patterns that could have caused the arrest and consequences of resuscitative efforts, but does not result in any discernible mortality difference.

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