CT findings of coronavirus disease: Results by experience of the COVID-center in the national medical research center of cardiology

Abstract

Purpose. To retrospectively analyze lung CT images from the COVID-Center in the National Medical Research Center of Cardiology (Moscow, Russia), to evaluate the most typical symptoms of viral pneumonia. Materials and methods. The study included 746 patients (398 men and 348 women, age 61±15 years) admitted to the COVID-Center from April 14 to May 31, 2020 with a confirmed diagnosis or suspicion of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19). All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) upon admission, or within 2-3 days after hospitalization if CT was performed at the pre-hospital stage. Results. 98 patients (13%) had no ground-glass opacity (GGO) in the lung on the initial CT study, of which 18 patients (18%) had these changes during the second study. In 637 patients, GGO infiltration was bilateral or unilateral in several parts, which was considered as a high probability of a new coronavirus infection. Mild lesions were observed in 164 patients (26%), medium in 261 patients (41%), severe in 164 (26%), and critical in 48 (8%). Crazy-paving pattern was detected in 139 patients (22%) in this group, areas of consolidation were observed in 347 patients (54%), reticular pattern in 232 (36%). Pleural effusion was seen in 89 cases (14%), intra-thoracic lymph nodes enlargement in 69 (11%). Conclusions. CT is a fast, highly sensitive test that allows you to obtain important diagnostic information necessary for diagnosis and assessment of the severity of the disease, which is crucial both for choosing of treatment strategy and for overcoming the epidemic process.