Diagnostic performance of CO-RADS for COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objectives To investigate the diagnostic performance of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) for detecting COVID-19. Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus database until September 21, 2021. Statistical analysis included data pooling, forest plot construction, heterogeneity testing, meta-regression, and subgroup analyses. Results We included 24 studies with 8382 patients. The pooled sensitivity and specificity and the area under the curve (AUC) of CO-RADS ≥ 3 for detecting COVID-19 were 0.89 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–0.93), 0.68 (95% CI 0.60–0.75), and 0.87 (95% CI 0.84–0.90), respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity and AUC of CO-RADS ≥ 4 were 0.83 (95% CI 0.79–0.87), 0.84 (95% CI 0.78–0.88), and 0.90 (95% CI 0.87–0.92), respectively. Cochran’s Q test ( p < 0.01) and Higgins I 2 heterogeneity index revealed considerable heterogeneity. Studies with both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients had higher specificity than those with only symptomatic patients using CO-RADS ≥ 3 and CO-RADS ≥ 4. Using CO-RADS ≥ 4, studies with participants aged < 60 years had higher sensitivity (0.88 vs. 0.80, p = 0.02) and lower specificity (0.77 vs. 0.87, p = 0.01) than studies with participants aged > 60 years. Conclusions CO-RADS has favorable performance in detecting COVID-19. CO-RADS ≥ 3/4 might be applied as cutoff values given their high sensitivity and specificity. However, there is a need for more well-designed studies on CO-RADS. Key Points • CO-RADS shows a favorable performance in detecting COVID-19. • CO-RADS ≥ 3 had a high sensitivity 0.89 (95% CI 0.85–0.93), and it may prove advantageous in screening the potentially infected people to prevent the spread of COVID-19. • CO-RADS ≥ 4 had high specificity 0.84 (95% CI 0.78–0.88) and may be more suitable for definite diagnosis of COVID-19.

Dynamic change of COVID-19 lung infection evaluated using co-registration of serial chest CT images

“…It was used to provide an alternative diagnostic method before the PCR tests became widely available and also used to detect suspicious infections for evaluation of the severity of pneumonia in the lung. Many studies have reported imaging findings related to COVID-19 infection in the lung, and there was an effort to develop a reporting system for diagnosis, named the COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) (41), similar to those for the breast RADS (BI-RADS), prostate RADS (PI-RADS), and liver RADS (LI-RADS) cancers. The refinement and applicability of the CO-RADS is still a very active research area.…”