High-Resolution CT Features of the COVID-19 Infection During Short-Term Follow-Up

ABSTRACT

Objective: To estimate the short-term follow-up chest HRCT manifestation in patients with COVID-19 who have left hospitals. Methods: Retrospective analysis was executed on the chest HRCT manifestation of 49 cases with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia patients diagnosed in Beijing You’An hospital affiliated to capital medical university between 20 January 2020 to April 10, 2020. The study including 21 males and 28 females, and the median age was 59.5 years age ranged from 21 years to 80 years. The evolution characteristics of chest HRCT in short-term follow-up after discharge were analyzed. Results: Forty-nine patients were divided into two groups according to Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol of 2019 New Coronavirus Pneumonia (trial version 7) of National Health Commission of China. Severe group included 23 cases (46.9%) and 26 cases of ordinary (53.1%). The HRCT findings of patients in the 2 groups were analyzed on median follow-up time was 30 day (range, 14 to 46 days) after discharge. The follow-up chest HRCT were normal in 19 of 49 (38.8%) patients, abnormal HRCT findings were detected in 30 of 49 (61.2%) patients. The most frequent abnormality found on follow-up HRCT in COVID-19 patients who recovered from pneumonia was GGO which was seen in 26 of 49 (53.1%) patients, reticular pattern was in 9 of 49 (18.4%), traction bronchiectasis was in 3 of 49 (6.1%), small nodular consolidation was in 6 of 49 (12.2%), other findings including curved line in the subpleural area and irregular linear opacities were in 15 of 49 (30.6%). In the study, 3 of 49 (6.1%) patients were diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis according to HRCT findings. Three cases were severe patients, aged from 65 to 80 years. Pulmonary fibrosis occurred within 30–50 days of onset. Conclusion: Pulmonary fibrosis may develop in 6.1% of COVID-19 patients, which was lower than that of SARS and MERS, suggesting that the lung damage caused by SARS-COV-2 in the recovered patients was lower than that of SARS and MERS.