Abstract
BackgroundChest CT is used for diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as an important complement to the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.PurposeTo investigate the diagnostic value and consistency of chest CT as compared with comparison to RT-PCR assay in COVID-19.MethodsFrom January 6 to February 6, 2020, 1014 patients in Wuhan, China who underwent both chest CT and RT-PCR tests were included. With RT-PCR as reference standard, the performance of chest CT in diagnosing COVID-19 was assessed. Besides, for patients with multiple RT-PCR assays, the dynamic conversion of RT-PCR results (negative to positive, positive to negative, respectively) was analyzed as compared with serial chest CT scans for those with time-interval of 4 days or more.ResultsOf 1014 patients, 59% (601/1014) had positive RT-PCR results, and 88% (888/1014) had positive chest CT scans. The sensitivity of chest CT in suggesting COVID-19 was 97% (95%CI, 95-98%, 580/601 patients) based on positive RT-PCR results. In patients with negative RT-PCR results, 75% (308/413) had positive chest CT findings; of 308, 48% were considered as highly likely cases, with 33% as probable cases. By analysis of serial RT-PCR assays and CT scans, the mean interval time between the initial negative to positive RT-PCR results was 5.1 ± 1.5 days; the initial positive to subsequent negative RT-PCR result was 6.9 ± 2.3 days). 60% to 93% of cases had initial positive CT consistent with COVID-19 prior (or parallel) to the initial positive RT-PCR results. 42% (24/57) cases showed improvement in follow-up chest CT scans before the RT-PCR results turning negative.ConclusionChest CT has a high sensitivity for diagnosis of COVID-19. Chest CT may be considered as a primary tool for the current COVID-19 detection in epidemic areas.A translation of this abstract in Farsi is available in the supplement. - ترجمه چکیده این مقاله به فارسی، در ضمیمه موجود است.
Highlights
Key Results n The positive rates of reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay and chest CT in our cohort were 59% (601 of 1014 patients) and 88% (888 of 1014 patients), respectively, for the diagnosis of patients suspected of having coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
To better understand the diagnostic value of chest CT compared with RT-PCR testing, we report the results of chest CT in comparison to the initial and serial RT-PCR results in 1014 patients suspected of having COVID-19
Patients were excluded when the time between chest CT and the RT-PCR assay was longer than 7 days
Summary
This study included 1014 patients in Wuhan, China, who underwent both chest CT and RT-PCR tests between January 6 and February 6, 2020. Patients and Data Sources of RT-PCR Results The institutional review board of our hospital (Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China) approved this retrospective study. From January 6 to February 6, 2020, a total of 1049 patients (mean age 6 standard deviation, 51 years 6 15; 467 men [46%]) who were suspected of having severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and who underwent both chest CT and laboratory virus nucleic acid testing (RT-PCR assay with throat swab samples) were retrospectively enrolled in our study (Fig 1). Repeated testing more than 3 days after the initial RT-PCR test was used to analyze conversion of RTPCR results, in correlation with the chest CT scan(s)
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
