Managing Incidentalomas Safely: Do Computed Tomography Requisitions Tell Us What We Need to Know?

PURPOSE: Technological advancements and the ever-increasing use of computed tomography (CT) have greatly increased the detection of incidental findings, including tiny pulmonary nodules. The management of many "incidentalomas" is significantly influenced by a patient's history of cancer. The study aim is to determine if CT requisitions include prior history of malignancy. METHODS: Requisitions for chest CTs performed at our adult tertiary care hospital during April 2012 were compared to a cancer history questionnaire, administered to patients at the time of CT scan. Patients were excluded from the study if the patient questionnaire was incomplete or if the purpose of the CT was for cancer staging or cancer follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 569 CTs of the chest were performed. Of the 327 patients that met inclusion criteria, 79 reported a history of cancer. After excluding patients for whom a history of malignancy could not be confirmed through a chart review and excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer, dysplasia, and in situ neoplasm, 68 patients were identified as having a history of malignancy. We found 44% (95% confidence interval [0.32-0.57]) of the chest CT requisitions for these 68 patients did not include the patient's history of cancer. Of the malignancies that were identified by patient questionnaire but omitted from the clinical history provided on the requisitions, 47% were malignancies that commonly metastasize to the lung. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of requisitions failed to disclose a history of cancer. Without knowledge of prior malignancy, radiologists cannot comply with current guidelines regarding the reporting and management of incidental findings.