Abstract
BackgroundSince the announcement of COVID-19 as a pandemic infection, several studies have been performed to discuss the clinical picture, laboratory finding, and imaging features of this disease. The aim of this study is to demarcate the imaging features of novel coronavirus infected pneumonia (NCIP) in different age groups and outline the relation between radiological aspect, including CT severity, and clinical aspect, including age, oxygen saturation, and fatal outcome. We implemented a prospective observational study enrolled 299 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients (169 males and 130 females; age range = 2–91 years; mean age = 38.4 ± 17.2). All patients were submitted to chest CT with multi-planar reconstruction. The imaging features of NCIP in different age groups were described. The relations between CT severity and age, oxygen saturation, and fatal outcome were evaluated.ResultsThe most predominant CT features were bilateral (75.4%), posterior (66.3%), pleural-based (93.5%), lower lobe involvement (89.8%), and ground-glass opacity (94.7%). ROC curve analysis revealed that the optimal cutoff age that was highly exposed to moderate and severe stages of NCIP was 38 years old (AUC = 0.77, p < 0.001). NCIP was noted in 42.6% below 40-year-old age group compared to 84% above 40-year-old age group. The CT severity was significantly related to age and fatal outcome (p < 0.001). Anterior, centrilobular, hilar, apical, and middle lobe involvements had a significant relation to below 90% oxygen saturation. A significant negative correlation was found between CT severity and oxygen saturation (r = − 0.49, p < 0.001). Crazy-paving pattern, anterior aspect, hilar, centrilobular involvement, and moderate and severe stages had a statistically significant relation to higher mortality.ConclusionThe current study confirmed the value of CT as a prognostic predictor in NCIP through demonstration of the strong relation between CT severity and age, oxygen saturation, and the fatal outcome. In the era of COVID-19 pandemic, this study is considered to be an extension to other studies discussing chest CT features of COVID-19 in different age groups with demarcation of the relation of chest CT severity to different pattern and distribution of NCIP, age, oxygen saturation, and mortality rate.
Highlights
Since the announcement of Coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 as a pandemic infection, several studies have been performed to discuss the clinical picture, laboratory finding, and imaging features of this disease
CT computed tomography, novel coronavirus infected pneumonia (NCIP) novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia Date represent the number of patients with percentage in parenthesis whereas 52.8% of the old age group had ≤ 90% O2 saturation
CT computed tomography, NCIP novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia Date represent the number of patients with percentage in parenthesis in 29.5% versus 70.5% (p = 0.062), crazy paving was seen in 25.8% versus 74.2% (p = 0.04) (Fig. 5), reversed halo sign was seen in 0% versus 100%, septal thickening was seen in 17% versus 83% (p = 0.001), subpleural line was seen in 25.7% versus 74.3% (p = 0.026), parenchymal band was seen in 25.9% versus 74.1% (p = 0.019), fissure irregularities were seen in 19.2% versus 80.8% (p = 0.062), significant scaring was seen in 21.1% versus 78.7 % (p = 0.17), pleural spacing was seen in 31.31% versus 68.8% (p = 0.02), and enlarged lymph nodes were seen in 17.9% versus 82.1 (p = 0.01)
Summary
Since the announcement of COVID-19 as a pandemic infection, several studies have been performed to discuss the clinical picture, laboratory finding, and imaging features of this disease. The aim of this study is to demarcate the imaging features of novel coronavirus infected pneumonia (NCIP) in different age groups and outline the relation between radiological aspect, including CT severity, and clinical aspect, including age, oxygen saturation, and fatal outcome. The imaging features of NCIP in different age groups were described. The relations between CT severity and age, oxygen saturation, and fatal outcome were evaluated. Fang et al [6] advocated using chest CT as a screening tool for SARS-CoV-2 for patients with clinical and epidemiologic features matched with COVID-19 infection even with negative RTPCR
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
