Chest CT scan features in COVID-19 pneumonia according to duration of symptoms

ABSTRACT

Introduction: High-resolution chest CT is considered as an early screening and diagnostic tool in COVID-19 pneumonitis. A wide variety of CT findings in COVID-19 have been reported, which differ according to the stage of the disease and its severity. Aim(s) Assessment of CT scan features among patients with COVID-19 pneumonia according to duration of symptoms. Method(s) Retrospective study including patients infected with COVID-19;confirmed either by RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen Test and hospitalized in COVID-19 unit from September 2020 to June 2021. In total,among 626 patients,567 CT data were available and classified according to the time of CT scan after symptoms onset Stage 1 (0-7 days);Stage 2 (8-15 days);Stage-3 (>15 days). In each CT report, the following information was specified extent of the lesions, presence of ground glass lesions, condensations, pleural effusion and pericardial effusion, as well as the distribution of the lesions. Result(s) We included 567 patients Stage1 276 patients (48%), Stage2248 patients (44%) and Stage 343 patients (8%). Mean age was 62,6 years [23-94] and sex ratio was 1,3. Mean extent of lesions has increased from stage 1 to stage 3 (43%, 48%, 56%;p=0.000). The frequency of ground glass lesions was significantly higher in stage 2 (91%,95%, 86%)(p=0.038). Consolidations were mainly present in G2 and G3 (64%, 68%, 70%;p=0.02). The presence of pleural and pericardial effusion was not significantly different between stages (7,2%;6,8%;9,3%;p=0.745) and (8,6%;10,3%;19,4%;p=0.128) respectively. Conclusion(s) Chest CT can highlight abnormalities even during early phases of infection and provide an analysis of the extent and severity of lung lesions according to different stages.