Contribution of Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Lesions Due to Coronavirus Disease (SRAS-CoV-2), COVID-19

Abstract

Our study was carried out at Robert BALLANGER Hospital, its aim was to determine the contribution of the scanner in the diagnosis of COVID-19. It was a prospective descriptive study during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in France. Patients were referred to the medical imaging department for a thoracic CT scan without contrast injection or an angioscanner in the context of a suspected COVID-19 pneumopathy or pulmonary embolism. The study involved both sexes, the male sex was with 55.20% and sex ratio of 1.24. In our study 50% of our patients had a comorbid factor, of which diabetes and hypertension were the most represented with 33% and 17%. The RT PRC test is considered the gold standard in the diagnosis of COVID-19 disease. This test was positive in 63.62% of our patients. CT imaging played a key role in the management of COVID-19 pneumonia because chest CT scans found lesions consistent with COVID-19 pneumonia in 71% of patients. The depoliated lung lesion was present in 87% of our patients, with sub pleural topography and minimal parenchymal involvement predominating. In our study, the chest CT scan had a higher sensitivity and a lower specificity than the PCR test.