CT imaging changes of corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19): a multi-center study in Southwest China

Xiaoming Li,Linping Shi,Chen Liu,Xinghui Li,Haonan Chen,Hui Chen,Xiang Li,Hongnian Xiang,Yang Cao,Wenbing Zeng,Jian Wang

doi:10.1186/s12967-020-02324-w

Abstract

BackgroundSince the first case of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection pneumonia was detected in Wuhan, China, a series of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 were found in Southwest China. The aim of this study was to describe the imaging manifestations of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection in southwest China.MethodsIn this retrospective study, data were collected from 131 patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from 3 Chinese hospitals. Their common clinical manifestations, as well as characteristics and evolvement features of chest CT images, were analyzed.ResultsA total of 100 (76%) patients had a history of close contact with people living in Wuhan, Hubei. The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 included cough, fever. Most of the lesions identified in chest CT images were multiple lesions of bilateral lungs, lesions were more localized in the peripheral lung, 109 (83%) patients had more than two lobes involved, 20 (15%) patients presented with patchy ground glass opacities, patchy ground glass opacities and consolidation of lesions co-existing in 61 (47%) cases. Complications such as pleural thickening, hydrothorax, pericardial effusion, and enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes were detected but only in rare cases. For the follow-up chest CT examinations (91 cases), We found 66 (73%) cases changed very quickly, with an average of 3.5 days, 25 cases (27%) presented absorbed lesions, progression was observed in 41 cases (46%), 25 (27%) cases showed no significant changes.ConclusionChest CT plays an important role in diagnosing COVID-19. The imaging pattern of multifocal peripheral ground glass or mixed consolidation is highly suspicious of COVID-19, that can quickly change over a short period of time.

Highlights

Since the first case of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection pneumonia was detected in Wuhan, China, a series of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 were found in Southwest China
Findings of first chest CT scan With the 6 cases were negative in the chest CT, 125 of 131 patients presented abnormal
In 3 cases, “reverse halo signs” were detected, and the initial chest CT of 1 case presented nodules, the “reversed halo sign” appeared in the 2 days follow up reexamination in the left lower lobe

Summary

Introduction

Since the first case of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection pneumonia was detected in Wuhan, China, a series of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 were found in Southwest China. The aim of this study was to describe the imaging manifestations of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection in southwest China. An epidemic of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) erupted in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China at the end of December 2019, and has quickly spread across the country, including overseas. On February 11, 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Virus (ICTV) officially named 2019-nCoV as “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2) [2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has named the disease caused by infection with this virus as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The clinical severity of COVID-19 varies greatly, from asymptomatic to death

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