Importance of the imaging techniques in the management of COVID-19infected patients

Abstract

Critical-care physicians are facing a challenging process in healthcare due to the overwhelming case number of hypoxic respiratory failure patients. Pneumonia has an utmost importance in the primary pathomechanism of the development of critical illness in the COVID-19 patients. Thus, imaging techniques are situated in the frontline to aim the diagnostic decision-making, to follow up the progress and to evaluate the possible complications. Reviewing the available literature, so far the common chest CT, chest X-ray and chest wall ultrasound features are presented, and recommendations are pronounced for the indications of the different modalities. At the initial phase, the atypical presentations of the virus infection are multiplex, peripheral ground glass opacities situated in the right lower lobe of the lung evolving rapidly into a bilateral involvement of the middle and basal zones. Along with the progression, the ratio of the consolidation is increasing subsequently deteriorating into fibrosis with reticular pattern. Chest ultrasound performed at the bedside has a paramount importance to reduce the possible number of health-care worker contacts in consequence of the strict and special infection control orders established on account of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemia.