Más allá de la indicación clínica: la TAC como herramienta de prevención.

In this episode of Memorandum, we discuss an article published in Radiology in 2016: “CT-based Opportunistic Screening for Adding Clinical Value: How I Do It,” by Pickhardt et al. The topic is fascinating: a CT scan of the chest, abdomen, or pelvis not only answers a specific clinical question. It also contains information about the patient's overall health: bone, muscle, visceral fat, liver, vascular calcium, and multiple cardiometabolic biomarkers. We will discuss: Opportunistic CT screening. The difference between incidental findings and added clinical value. Osteoporosis detected in CT scans performed for other indications. Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis as silent findings. Vascular calcium and cardiovascular risk. Sarcopenia, myosteatosis, and visceral obesity. Explainable artificial intelligence as a tool to make this possible. Composite models of risk, biological age, and personalized medicine. * Ethical, clinical, and logistical challenges of reporting this information. Radiology can move beyond simply answering immediate clinical questions and become a discipline capable of anticipating risks and providing preventive value.