Interdisciplinary perspectives on computed tomography in sepsis: survey among medical doctors at a large university medical center

Category	Detail
Condition	Sepsis, a life-threatening organ dysfunction due to dysregulated host response to infection
Key Mechanisms	Early detection and source identification via imaging to enable timely treatment and source control
Target Population	Patients with suspected or diagnosed sepsis requiring infection source localization
Care Setting	Hospital settings including emergency care and intensive care units

Computed tomography (CT) is frequently used to identify infectious foci in sepsis, especially in chest, abdomen, and pelvis regions.
Current sepsis guidelines (Surviving Sepsis Campaign) do not specify imaging modalities, timing, or clinical parameters for CT use.
Physician survey at a major academic center revealed varied perspectives on CT benefits, timing, and organ region prioritization in sepsis management.

Early detection of sepsis and prompt initiation of treatment within hours improves outcomes.
Imaging is recommended to confirm or rule out suspected infection focus to guide source control.

Antibiotic administration as part of sepsis bundles.
Source control via antibiotics, surgery, or intervention based on imaging findings.

Use imaging to assess organ conditions and identify complications during sepsis management.

No specific risks of CT imaging detailed in guidelines; however, timing and modality choice require further research.

Septic patients with unclear infection focus requiring imaging for diagnosis and management decisions.

CT scans influence emergency care decision-making and help prioritize organ regions for infection source search.

Perform targeted imaging to identify infection source early to enable timely source control.
Prioritize imaging of chest, abdomen, and pelvis in septic patients based on clinical assessment.
Consider CT as a rapid, high-resolution modality for full-body scans when infection focus is unclear.
Engage multidisciplinary teams to determine optimal timing and extent of CT imaging in sepsis.
Use structured questionnaires and physician input to refine imaging protocols in sepsis care.

Clinical Scorecard: Role of Computed Tomography in Sepsis: Multidisciplinary Physician Perspectives