CT findings of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2

BMC Med Imaging. 2020 Jun 23;20(1):70. doi: 10.1186/s12880-020-00471-6.

Abstract

Background: We aimed to describe the chest CT findings in sixty-seven patients infected by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 67 patients hospitalized in Ruian People's Hospital. All the patients received the positive diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The CT and clinical data were collected between January 23rd, 2020 and February 10th, 2020. The CT images were analyzed by the senior radiologists.

Results: There are 54 patients with positive CT findings and 13 patients with negative CT findings. The typical CT findings in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were ground glass opacities (42/54), lesions located in the peripheral area (50/54), multiple lesions (46/54), and lesions located in the lower lobes (42/54). There were less typical CT findings, including air bronchogram (18/54), pleural thickening or pleural effusion (14/54), consolidation (12/54), lesions in the upper lobes (12/54), interlobular septal thickening (11/54), reversed halo sign (9/54), single lesion (8/54), air cavities (4/54), bronchial wall thickening (3/54), and intrathoracic lymph node enlargement (2/54).

Conclusions: CT features can play an important role in the early diagnosis and follow-up of COVID-19 patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; CT imaging; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • China / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Radiography, Thoracic / methods*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*