Baseline chest computed tomography (BCT) in high-risk hematology patients allows for the early diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). The distribution of BCT implementation in hematology departments and impact on outcome is unknown. A web-based questionnaire was designed. International scientific bodies were invited. The estimated numbers of annually treated hematology patients, chest imaging timepoints and techniques, IPA rates, and follow-up imaging were assessed. In total, 142 physicians from 43 countries participated. The specialties included infectious diseases (n = 69; 49%), hematology (n = 68; 48%), and others (n = 41; 29%). BCT was performed in 57% (n = 54) of 92 hospitals. Upon the diagnosis of malignancy or admission, 48% and 24% performed BCT, respectively, and X-ray was performed in 48% and 69%, respectively. BCT was more often used in hematopoietic cell transplantation and in relapsed acute leukemia. European centers performed BCT in 59% and non-European centers in 53%. Median estimated IPA rate was 8% and did not differ between BCT (9%; IQR 5-15%) and non-BCT centers (7%; IQR 5-10%) (p = 0.69). Follow-up computed tomography (CT) for IPA was performed in 98% (n = 90) of centers. In high-risk hematology patients, baseline CT is becoming a standard-of-care. Chest X-ray, while inferior, is still widely used. Randomized, controlled trials are needed to investigate the impact of BCT on patient outcome.

Centre for Reviews and Dissemination Alcuin College University of York York YO10 5DD UK

Clinical Trials Centre Cologne ZKS Köln 50935 Cologne Germany

Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases University of Cologne 50931 Cologne Germany

Departamento de Parasitología Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud University of Carabobo Valencia 2001 Venezuela

Department 1 of Internal Medicine Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne University of Cologne 50937 Cologne Germany

Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation West German Cancer Center University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg Essen 45147 Essen Germany

Department of Clinical Haematology Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences Kochi 682041 India

Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne 50937 Cologne Germany

Department of Hematology and Oncology Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Medical Center 39120 Magdeburg Germany

Department of Hematology and Oncology Red Cross Hospital Munich 80634 Munich Germany

Department of Hematology Radboud University Medical Center 6500 Nijmegen The Netherlands

Department of Infectious Diseases Turku University Hospital and University of Turku 20521 Turku Finland

Department of Internal Medicine 1 Bone Marrow Transplant Unit Medical University of Vienna 1090 Vienna Austria

Department of Internal Medicine 1 University Hospital of Dresden 01307 Dresden Germany

Department of Internal Medicine Hematology and Oncology Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno 62500 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Internal Medicine Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Medical University of Graz 8036 Graz Austria

Department of Internal Medicine Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro 21941 901 Brazil

Department of Medicine Clinic 3 Hematology Oncology Palliative Medicine Rostock University Medical Center 18057 Rostock Germany

Department of Microbiology Perth 6000 Australia

Dept of Infectious Diseases and General Medical Unit Alfred Health and Central Clinical School Monash University Melbourne 3004 Australia

Depts of Infectious Diseases Fiona Stanley Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital Perth 6000 Australia

Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia Fondazione Policlinico A Gemelli IRCCS 00169 Rome Italy

Division of Infection Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology University Hospital of Basel 4031 Basel Switzerland

Division of Infectious Diseases American University of Beirut Medical Center Beirut 1107 2020 Lebanon

Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Department of Medicine Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University Bangkok 10700 Thailand

Division of Infectious Diseases Department of Internal Medicine Catholic Hematology Hospital and Seoul St Mary's Hospital College of Medicine The Catholic University of Korea Seoul 06591 Korea

Division of Infectious Diseases Infection Control Program Antimicrobial Stewardship Program American University of Beirut Medical Center Beirut 1107 2020 Lebanon

Division of Infectious Diseases Wayne State University School of Medicine Karmanos Cancer Center Detroit WI 4100 USA

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Western Australia Murdoch Perth Murdoch 6150 Australia

German Centre for Infection Research Partner Site Bonn Cologne 50937 Cologne Germany

Head of the Bone Marrow Unit Hospital City Dr Enrique Tejera Valencia 2001 Venezuela

Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant Unit IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute Via Elio Chianesi 53 00144 Rome Italy

Hematology Clinical Research Unit Cebeci Hospital Ankara University Faculty of Medicine 06100 Ankara Turkey

Hematology Department Hospital Provincial Del Centenario Rosario 2000 Argentina

Infectious Disease Research Program Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation and Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology University Children's Hospital 48149 Münster Germany

Infectious Diseases institute Rambam Health Care Campus Haifa 3109601 Israel

Infectious Diseases Unit Hippokration Hospital 54642 Thessaloniki Greece

Leeds Children's Hospital Leeds General Infirmary Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Leeds LS1 3EX UK

Medizinische Klinik Carl Thiem Klinikum Cottbus 03048 Cottbus Germany

Onkologische Schwerpunktpraxis Freilassing 83395 Freilassing Germany

Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus 08035 Barcelona Spain

Servei d'Hematologia Clinica Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau 08041 Barcelona Spain

Sezione di Ematologia Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche ed Ematologiche Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore 00168 Rome Italy

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