Quantitative Chest CT Analysis to Measure Short-Term Sequelae of COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Monocentric Prospective Study

Tomography. 2022 Jun 17;8(3):1578-1585. doi: 10.3390/tomography8030130.

Abstract

(1) Background: Quantitative CT analysis (QCT) has demonstrated promising results in the prognosis prediction of patients affected by COVID-19. We implemented QCT not only at diagnosis but also at short-term follow-up, pairing it with a clinical examination in search of a correlation between residual respiratory symptoms and abnormal QCT results. (2) Methods: In this prospective monocentric trial performed during the "first wave" of the Italian pandemic, i.e., from March to May 2020, we aimed to test the relationship between %deltaCL (variation of %CL-compromised lung volume) and variations of symptoms-dyspnea, cough and chest pain-at follow-up clinical assessment after hospitalization. (3) Results: 282 patients (95 females, 34%) with a median age of 60 years (IQR, 51-69) were included. We reported a correlation between changing lung abnormalities measured by QCT, and residual symptoms at short-term follow up after COVID-19 pneumonia. Independently from age, a low percentage of surviving patients (1-4%) may present residual respiratory symptoms at approximately two months after discharge. QCT was able to quantify the extent of residual lung damage underlying such symptoms, as the reduction of both %PAL (poorly aerated lung) and %CL volumes was correlated to their disappearance. (4) Conclusions QCT may be used as an objective metric for the measurement of COVID-19 sequelae.

Keywords: COVID-19; computed tomography; lung diseases; quantitative CT.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19* / diagnostic imaging
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Prospective Studies
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.