Radiologist's Score for smoke inhalation injury (RADS)

The Radiologist's Score for Smoke Inhalation Injury, also known as the RADS score, is a clinical calculator used in the assessment of patients who have been exposed to smoke inhalation. This scoring system is specifically designed for patients who have been involved in fires and have potentially inhaled smoke, which can lead to serious respiratory complications. The RADS score is used to quantify the severity of smoke inhalation injury by evaluating radiographic findings in the lungs. It is a valuable tool for clinicians as it helps in predicting the likelihood of respiratory failure, need for mechanical ventilation, and overall prognosis in patients with smoke inhalation injury. The score is calculated based on the presence and extent of various radiographic findings such as peribronchial cuffing, consolidation, and interstitial edema. The higher the RADS score, the more severe the smoke inhalation injury. There are no specific exclusion criteria for the use of the RADS score. However, it should be noted that this score is not applicable to patients who have not been exposed to smoke inhalation or those with pre-existing lung conditions that may confound the radiographic findings.

Reference

John S Oh, Kevin K Chung, Anthony Allen et al. Admission chest CT complements fiberoptic bronchoscopy in prediction of adverse outcomes in thermally injured patients. J Burn Care Res. Jul-Aug 2012;33(4):532-8.