ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical and imaging characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and to study their relationship.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-six SARS confirmed patients were admitted to our hospital from February to April, 2003. X-ray examination documents were available in all cases and chest CT scanning was acquired in 6 cases, which were analyzed retrospectively, accompanied by their clinical features.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fever was found in 97.8% of the patients. Clinical symptoms were mild, but X-ray and CT findings were distinct. CT scanning demonstrated ground glass like lesions and large patchy exudation and consolidation at the early stage in 6 cases. Different findings on radiography and CT were related to the different phases of the disease. After treatment, most lesions were absorbed completely, but slowly in patients with multi-lobe consolidation and/or extensive interstitial infiltration.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Special clinical and imaging findings could be found in SARS cases. The prognosis of SARS patients is related to the degree of lesions detected by radiography and CT.</p>