When to rule out COVID-19: How many negative RT-PCR tests are needed?

oleh: Masis Isikbay, Travis S. Henry, James A. Frank, Michael D. Hope

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Elsevier 2020-01-01

Deskripsi

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians have been plagued with dilemmas related to the uncertainty about diagnostic testing for the virus. It has become commonplace for a patient under investigation (PUI) to repeatedly test negative but have imaging findings that are consistent with COVID-19. This raises the question of when the treating team should entertain alternative diagnoses. We present such a case to help provide a framework for how to weigh repeatedly negative test results in clinical decision making when there is ongoing concern for COVID-19.