Abstract
BackgroundIn December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the causative agent of pneumonia cases in China. This virus is spread by coughing or sneezing and can infect other persons by on contacting mucous membranes. SARS-Cov-2 most frequent serious manifestation is pneumonia. Chest computed tomography in COVID-19 patients usually shows ground-glass opacities that may be accompanied by consolidation lesions. Early diagnosis of the disease and rapid isolation of the patient is of great importance. So far, confirmation of COVID-19 infection is made by RT-PCR of nasopharyngeal or respiratory specimens. Recent research reported that the sensitivity of computed tomography in diagnosing COVID-19 is 98% while RT-PCR sensitivity is 71%. Herein, we compare the sensitivity of both chest CT and RT-PCR in diagnosing COVID-19 at initial patient presentation through a meta-analysis study.Main bodyUsing MEDLINE database a systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant published studies within from November 2019 to April 2020. Only articles with full text were examined to determine eligibility and extract data by two reviewers. It was decided to include studies mentioning sensitivity of chest CT scan and sensitivity of RT-PCR and both done at the same time.ResultsPotentially relevant 15,300 studies were identified in our search in MEDLINE whose titles were quickly reviewed. Potentially eligible studies missing any of the forementioned inclusion criteria were excluded. This process left 7 eligible articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were thus included in the meta-analysis and used for further analyses.ConclusionThe meta-analysis study showed that chest CT may be beneficial in early detection of cases of COVID-19. Imaging, in adjunct to clinical and laboratory findings, should be used for monitoring of disease course, until further evidence is available.
Highlights
In December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the causative agent of pneumonia cases in China
The meta-analysis study showed that chest Computerized tomography (CT) may be beneficial in early detection of cases of COVID19
The absence of specific anti-viral drugs or an anti-SARSCoV-2 vaccine necessitates the early diagnosis of COVID-19 to allow efficient disease control and treatment
Summary
In December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the causative agent of pneumonia cases in China. This virus is spread by coughing or sneezing and can infect other persons by on contacting mucous membranes. Chest computed tomography in COVID-19 patients usually shows ground-glass opacities that may be accompanied by consolidation lesions. Recent research reported that the sensitivity of computed tomography in diagnosing COVID-19 is 98% while RT-PCR sensitivity is 71%. We compare the sensitivity of both chest CT and RT-PCR in diagnosing COVID-19 at initial patient presentation through a meta-analysis study. A recent case series reported that chest CT findings are more frequently to occur bilateral, have a peripheral distribution, and comprise mainly the lower lobes. Less common findings in COVID-19 patients include pleural thickening and pleural effusion [1]
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