Radiological findings of COVID-19 pneumonia

Abstract

Although real‑time polymerase chain reaction (RT‑PCR) remains the standard reference for a definitivediagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) infection, the false‑negative rate and the lack ofavailability of RT‑PCR assays in the early stages of the outbreak restricted the prompt diagnosis ofinfected patients. Since most COVID‑19 infected patients were diagnosed with pneumonia basedon characteristic imaging patterns, radiological examinations have become vital for early diagnosisand the assessment of disease course. Although chest radiography is not sufficiently sensitivefor the detection of small ground‑glass opacity (GGO) and may produce normal findings in theearly stage of infection, it can be used as an initial imaging method, especially in young patients.Thin‑slice chest computed tomography (CT) plays a vital role in early detection, observation, anddisease evaluation. Typical CT findings of COVID‑19 include peripherally distributed multifocalGGOs with patchy consolidations and predilection for the posterior part or lower lobe involvement.The increasing numbers, extent, and density of GGOs on CT indicate disease progression. Lunginvolvement progresses to consolidation up to 2 weeks after disease onset. Clear and frequentcommunication among health‑care providers, including radiologists, is vital for the improvement ofpatient care during this pandemic.