Computed Tomography (CT) scans are routinely utilized in the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscesses (PTA), contributing to increasing healthcare costs, overuse, and adverse effects from ionizing radiation. Furthermore, the difficulty of discerning abscesses from phlegmons on radiographic images warrants a critical review of this practice. In our study, we reviewed 6,280 patients who presented with throat pain to one of eight AdventHealth Orlando Emergency Departments from January to April of 2013. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of PTA (n=116) were further analyzed for CT utilization versus clinical exam for diagnosis. Our study confirms a high incidence of CT scan utilization for the diagnosis of PTA and highlights the potential inaccuracy it has in discerning abscesses from phlegmon in the oropharynx. Given these findings, we propose that clinicians could serve as better fiscal stewards while also avoiding potential effects of radiation by using clinical history, presenting symptoms, and physical exam for the diagnosis and management of PTA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-24630","session","type-session","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"status":"Active","airtable_id":"recTUGI31drBSeqkd","session_name":"Are CT Scans Necessary for the Diagnosis of Peritonsillar Abscess?","session_id":"256","session_code":"ENT256","session_description":"
Computed Tomography (CT) scans are routinely utilized in the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscesses (PTA), contributing to increasing healthcare costs, overuse, and adverse effects from ionizing radiation. Furthermore, the difficulty of discerning abscesses from phlegmons on radiographic images warrants a critical review of this practice. In our study, we reviewed 6,280 patients who presented with throat pain to one of eight AdventHealth Orlando Emergency Departments from January to April of 2013. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of PTA (n=116) were further analyzed for CT utilization versus clinical exam for diagnosis. Our study confirms a high incidence of CT scan utilization for the diagnosis of PTA and highlights the potential inaccuracy it has in discerning abscesses from phlegmon in the oropharynx. Given these findings, we propose that clinicians could serve as better fiscal stewards while also avoiding potential effects of radiation by using clinical history, presenting symptoms, and physical exam for the diagnosis and management of PTA.<\/p>\n","session_objectives":"1. To characterize the diagnosis and treatment of peritonsillar abscess in adult patients;\n2. To compare the accuracy and utility of computed tomography (CT) scans to clinical examinations for the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess;","session_type":"General Session","session_type_detail":"Lecture","virtual_content_delivery":"Onsite Live Broadcast","onsite_content_delivery":"In-Person","session_delivery_format":"Live Broadcast","target_audience_list":["Physicians","APPs","Clinical Staff","Medical Students","APP Students"],"target_audience":"Physicians,APPs,Clinical Staff,Medical Students,APP Students","day":"Friday","long_start_date":"Friday, November 5th","start_date":"11\/5\/2021","start_time":"2:50 PM","start_time_timestamp":"1636037400","start_date_timestamp":"1636070400","start_date_and_time_timestamp":"1620744600","end_date":"11\/5\/2021","end_time":"3:00 PM","duration":"0:10","society":"FSO-HNS","society_list":["FSO-HNS"],"eventcloud_session_id":"","track_name":"ENT","speakers":[{"ID":24634,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2021-11-04 18:57:04","post_date_gmt":"2021-11-04 22:57:04","post_content":"","post_title":"Jihoon Lim,","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"jihoon-lim","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-11-04 18:57:11","post_modified_gmt":"2021-11-04 22:57:11","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/archive.fcomnow.com\/2021\/speaker\/jihoon-lim\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"speaker","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"unique_session":"checked","speaker_location":"Onsite","pre_record":"Yes","ceu_offered":"No","ceu_hours":"","cme_offered":"No","cme_hours":"","tags":["ENT","ENT Surgery","Rhinology","Sinus"],"tags_text":"ENT,ENT Surgery,Rhinology,Sinus","ticketed":"","ticketed_session":"","ticket_url":"","session_sponsor":false,"panel_moderator":false,"session_location":"Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort","session_location_room":"Plaza 1-2"},"day":"Friday","duration":"0:10","end_date":"11\/5\/2021","end_time":"3:00 PM","session_code":"ENT256","session_description":"Computed Tomography (CT) scans are routinely utilized in the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscesses (PTA), contributing to increasing healthcare costs, overuse, and adverse effects from ionizing radiation. Furthermore, the difficulty of discerning abscesses from phlegmons on radiographic images warrants a critical review of this practice. In our study, we reviewed 6,280 patients who presented with throat pain to one of eight AdventHealth Orlando Emergency Departments from January to April of 2013. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of PTA (n=116) were further analyzed for CT utilization versus clinical exam for diagnosis. Our study confirms a high incidence of CT scan utilization for the diagnosis of PTA and highlights the potential inaccuracy it has in discerning abscesses from phlegmon in the oropharynx. Given these findings, we propose that clinicians could serve as better fiscal stewards while also avoiding potential effects of radiation by using clinical history, presenting symptoms, and physical exam for the diagnosis and management of PTA.","session_id":"256","session_name":"Are CT Scans Necessary for the Diagnosis of Peritonsillar Abscess?","session_objectives":"1. To characterize the diagnosis and treatment of peritonsillar abscess in adult patients;\n2. To compare the accuracy and utility of computed tomography (CT) scans to clinical examinations for the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess;","session_type":"General Session","session_type_detail":"Lecture","society":"FSO-HNS","start_date":"11\/5\/2021","start_time":"2:50 PM","test_speaker_link":[],"yoast_head":"\n