Abstract
BackgroundTo emphasize the importance of CT in the diagnosis of COVID-19 disease by comparing the thoracic CT findings of COVID-19 patients with positive RT-PCR results and patients with clinical suspicion of COVID-19 but with negative RT-PCR results.ResultsIn our study, COVID-19 patients with positive RT-PCR results (RT-PCR (+) group) and patients with clinical suspicion of COVID-19 but negative RT-PCR results (RT-PCR (−) group) were compared in terms of CT findings. In CT images, ground-glass opacity and ground-glass opacity + patchy consolidation were the most common lesion patterns in both groups. No statistically significant differences in the rates and types of lesion patterns were observed between the two groups. In both groups, lesion distributions and distribution patterns were similarly frequent in the bilateral, peripheral, and lower lobe distributions. Among the 39 patients who underwent follow-up CT imaging in the first or second month, a regression in lesion number and density was detected in 18 patients from both groups. Consolidations were completely resorbed in 16 of these patients, and five patients had newly developed fibrotic changes. The follow-up CT examination of 16 patients was normal.ConclusionsDue to the false-negative rate of RT-PCR tests caused by various reasons, clinically suspected COVID-19 patients with a contact history should be examined with CT scans, even if RT-PCR tests are negative. If the CT findings are positive, these patients should not be removed from isolation.
Highlights
To emphasize the importance of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of COVID-19 disease by comparing the thoracic CT findings of COVID-19 patients with positive Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results and patients with clinical suspicion of COVID-19 but with negative RT-PCR results
Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) remains the standard test of COVID-19 pneumonia but standby time for viral detection with RT-PCR tests, incomplete sampling techniques, variations in viral load, and false-negative rates of a test depending on the kit sensitivity can delay the diagnosis
Patients Patients suspected of having COVID-19 infection who were referred to our hospital were evaluated by the Chest Diseases and Infectious Diseases departments of our hospital
Summary
To emphasize the importance of CT in the diagnosis of COVID-19 disease by comparing the thoracic CT findings of COVID-19 patients with positive RT-PCR results and patients with clinical suspicion of COVID-19 but with negative RT-PCR results. In the week of 7–13 September, 1.8 million new cases and more than 40,600 additional deaths were reported, Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) remains the standard test of COVID-19 pneumonia but standby time for viral detection with RT-PCR tests, incomplete sampling techniques, variations in viral load, and false-negative rates of a test depending on the kit sensitivity can delay the diagnosis. Korkmaz et al Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (2021) 52:96 is negative in a number of cases, it has been reported that positivity develops in the second, third, or even subsequent tests [5,6,7,8,9]. The target receptor of the virus is angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) This receptor is not expressed at the nasal and oral levels but substantially in type 1 and type 2 alveolar epithelial cells, making the BAL method more effective [10]
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