RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 The Role of Diagnostic Management in COVID-19 Screening of Asymptomatic Patients Admitted for Elective Surgery JF In Vivo JO In Vivo FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 3321 OP 3323 DO 10.21873/invivo.12628 VO 35 IS 6 A1 JAROSLAW CWALINSKI A1 AGNIESZKA CWALINSKA A1 JACEK PASZKOWSKI A1 TOMASZ BANASIEWICZ A1 JACEK HERMANN YR 2021 UL http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/35/6/3321.abstract AB Background: Due to the high risk of COVID-19 transmission by asymptomatic patients, the aim of this study was to evaluate chest computed tomography (CT) and blood differential test as an additional COVID-19 screening tool for patients undergoing elective or urgent surgery. Patients and Methods: The preoperative assessment of 118 patients hospitalized from June to July 2020 included real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction RNA test before elective surgery or rapid antigen test in emergency patients. The diagnostics were supplemented by chest CT and a complete blood count with a blood smear in all patients. Results: None of the hospitalized patients had molecular, serological or radiographic symptoms of COVID-19 infection. The chest CT revealed non-COVID-19 pathologies in a total of 48 patients. Leukocytosis and lymphopenia were typical of emergency patients. Conclusion: Routine chest CT scans have no benefit in screening for potential COVID-19 changes in asymptomatic patients. Blood differential tests are readily available, which makes them more helpful in COVID-19 screening.