Key Points of Clinical and CT Imaging Features of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Imported Pneumonia Based on 21 Cases Analysis

Abstract

Background and Objective: WHO Director-General declared that the 2019-nCoV outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern,and the outbreak is still on-going.Chest CT had been a key component of the diagnostic workup for patients with suspected infection. In this retrospective study, we attempt to summarize and analyze the chest CT features of 2019-nCov infections, and to identify the typical features to improved the diagnostic accuracy of new coronavirus pneumonia (NCP). Methods: Chest CT scans and Clinical data of 21 patients confirmed NCP in our hospital were enrolled.These patients were divided into mild and sever group according to clinical manifestations described by the 6th clinical practice guideline of NCP in China. Main clinical and chest CT features were analyzed and identify. Results: Fever (85.7%) and cough (80.9%) were the two main symptoms of NCP patients.More significantly higher incidence (85.7%) of shortness of breath in the severe cases. Multiple lesions in both lungs and with incidence of GGO(100%),vascular enlargement (76.5%) and cobblestone/reticular pattern(70.6%) were the major feature.The incidence of consolidation, mixed pattern and vascular enlargement features were up to 100% in the severe group, significantly higher than that of patients in mild group. In addition, the incidence of air-bronchogram, dilated bronchi with thickened wall and fibrosis in the severe group was significantly higher than that in the mild group. Conclusions: Fever and cough are the typical clinical features of NCP patients, and chest CT mainly manifested as multiple lesions in both lungs, often accompanied by GGO, vascular enlargement and cobblestone/reticular pattern. Changes in these main CT features can indicate development of the disease. Funding Statement: This study was supported by Y J Ye, Department of Radiology, the First People's Hospital of Foshan affiliated to Sun Yat-Sen University, Foshan, China. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The authors' institutional review board approved this retrospective study analyzing existing patient data with patient information de-identified and all subjects gave written informed consent.