Computed tomography manifestations and prognosis of severe COVID-19 cases

ABSTRACT

Severe COVID-19 cases are patients meeting any of the following criteria (1) respiratory distress, respiration rate ≥ 30 breaths/min;(2) oxygen saturation <93% at rest;and (3) partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen≤300mm Hg. Besides, patients with rapid progression (>50%) within 24–48h based on computed tomography (CT) imaging results are deemed as the severe type. The lung areas of pneumonia involved in the severe type are more extended than that in the common type. Besides plain radiography and CT, Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/CT images in seven cases and PET/MR images in one case are also illustrated in this chapter. Increased or normal metabolic activity is noticed in the pneumonia area. Increased metabolic activity is noticed in the mediastinal lymph nodes.