Chest and abdominal CT during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Clinical benefits in diagnosis and treatment.

Rationale And Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical usefulness of thoracic and abdominal computed tomography (CT) as an adjunct to bedside diagnostic imaging in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy because of severe acute respiratory failure.

Materials And Methods: Imaging records for 118 consecutive thoracic and abdominal CT examinations performed in 63 patients (22 neonates, 15 children, and 26 adults) on ECMO therapy during an 8-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Reported CT findings were compared with concurrent bedside radiographs and ultrasounds.