Radiological and Laboratory Modalities for Diagnosis of COVID-19: A Systematic Review

The world has witnessed the dreadful COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid rate of its spread across countries. The key measures in pandemic control includes early detection of cases, isolation of cases to prevent spread and appropriate management of confirmed cases. The present diagnostic criteria for COVID-19 in India is based on RT-PCR. This technique has its own limitations. There are ongoing debates to the cost, time taken and type of diagnostic sensitivity and predictive values of RT-PCR. Researchers across globe have been exploring alternative methods to enhance the mainstay of protocols for identifying suspected cases of COVID-19. With media news of too many asymptomatic positive results from community in New Delhi, Ahmedabad and other places in India, along with prompt withdrawal of antibody based tests by ICMR after questions on validity, such test raises concerns and urgent need for exploring the need for rethinking the diagnostic algorithm. This is a systematic review to explore possibility of novel diagnostic approaches for a suspected case of COVID-19 with an objective to early detection of case and using appropriate methods to halt the chain of transmission.