ABSTRACT
Objective@#To explore the characteristics and short-term changes of high resolutionCT (HRCT) in subclinical stage of new coronavirus pneumonia (NCP).@*Methods@#TheHRCT images of 17 NCP patients in subclinical stage were analyzed retrospectively in Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of science and technology and Wuhan JinyintanHospital from January 15 to January 31, 2020. There were 4 males and 13 females, aged from 25.0 to 51.0 (39.8±7.5) years, who were closely contacted with NCP patients. The follow-up CT examination was performed 3 to 6 days after the initial CT examination in all patients. Six patients were treated using anti-virus, anti-inflammation andsymptomatic therapy, while the orther 11 patients were untreated. The CT imaging signs of subclinical and short-term follow-up were analyzed, and the CT image changes of short-term follow-up was summarized.@*Results@#Thelesions of 17 NCP patients were mainly located at the lower lobes of both lungs (9 cases at the left lower lobe and 10 cases at the right lower lobe in the subclinical stage, 9 casesat the left lower lobe and 11casesat the right lower lobe in the short-term follow-up). The number of lung segments involved increased from 46 in the subclinical stage to 90 in the short-term follow-up. In the subclinical stage, most of the lesions were multiple (13 cases), while in the short-term follow-up, the number of multiple cases decreased (7 cases), focal (6 cases) and diffuse distribution(4 cases) increased. The lesions were mainly distributed under the pleura (13 cases) or along the bronchovascular bundle (10 cases). In the short-term follow-up, 1 case progressed from subpleural to subpleural and along the bronchovascular bundle. There were 3 main types of lesions, including ground glass nodule, ground glass opacity and crazy-paving pattern. In the subclinical stage and short-term follow-up, ground glass nodules were seen in all the 17 cases. In the short-termfollow-up, ground glass nodules decreased in 4 cases and crazy-paving pattern increased in 4 cases. In 6 patients after treatment, 3 cases were changed from multiple to single ground glass nodule, 3 cases showed multiple ground glass opacity reduced. Therange of lesions in 11 patients without treatment enlarged.@*Conclusion@#TheHRCT features of the NCP patients in subcilincal stagehave some charicteristics, such as small ground glass nodule, ground glass opacity along the subpleural or along the bronchovascular bundle, and the great changescan be seen in the short-term follow-up.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the characteristics and short-term changes of high resolution CT (HRCT) in subclinical stage of COVID-19.Methods:The HRCT images of 17 COVID-19 patients in subclinical stage were analyzed retrospectively in Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital from January 15 to 31, 2020. There were 4 males and 13 females, age ranged from 25.0 to 51.0 (39.8±7.5) years, who were closely contacted with other COVID-19 patients. The follow-up CT examination was performed within 3 to 6 days after the initial CT examination in all patients. Six patients were treated using anti-virus, anti-inflammation and symptomatic therapy, while the other 11 patients were untreated. The subclinical CT findings and short-term follow-up were analyzed, and the CT changes of short-term follow-up were summarized.Results:The lesions of 17 COVID-19 patients were mainly located at the lower lobes of bilateral lungs (at the left lower lobe in 9 cases and at the right lower lobe in 10 cases in the subclinical stage, at the left lower lobe in 9 cases and at the right lower lobe in 11 cases in the short-term follow-up). The number of involved lung segments increased from 46 in the subclinical stage to 90 in the short-term follow-up. In the subclinical stage, the multiple lesions were found in 13 cases, while in the short-term follow-up, the number of cases with multiple lesions decreased by 7, however the cases with focal lesions increased by 6 and diffuse lesions by 4. The lesions were mainly distributed under the pleura (13 cases) or along the bronchovascular bundle(10 cases). In the short-term follow-up, the lesion in 1 case expanded from the subpleural area to neighbouring bronchovascular bundle. There were 3 main types of the lesions, including ground glass nodule, ground glass opacity and crazy-paving pattern. In the subclinical stage and short-term follow-up, the ground glass opacities were seen in all the 17 cases. In the short-term follow-up, the number of cases with ground glass nodules decreased by 4 and crazy-paving pattern increased by 4. In 6 patients after treatment, the multiple ground glass nodules became single one in 3 cases, and in other 3 cases the multiple ground glass opacities were getting smaller. However, the scope of lesions in 11 patients without treatment enlarged.Conclusion:The HRCT features of the COVID-19 in subcilincal stage have some charicteristics, such as small ground glass nodule, ground glass opacity along the subpleural area or along the bronchovascular bundle, and the great changes can be seen in the short-term follow-up.