Initial Chest Computed Tomography Research Articles

Determination of pulmonary vessel alteration in Chinese male smokers by quantitative computed tomography measurements: a retrospective study.

The blood volume of intraparenchymal vessels is reported to be increased in smokers. However, the blood volume can be affected by many confounders besides tobacco exposure. This study aimed to investigate the association between cigarette smoking and pulmonary blood volume after adjusting the related factors in a large cohort of Chinese males. In this retrospective study, male participants admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University for annual health assessment between February 2017 and February 2018 were enrolled. All subjects underwent non-contrast chest computed tomography (CT) scans, and 152 subjects underwent a review CT scan 2-3 years later. A three-dimensional approach was employed to segment the lung and intrapulmonary vessels and quantitative CT (QCT) measurements, including lung volume (LV), intrapulmonary vessel volume (IPVV), low-attenuation area <-950 Hounsfield unit (LAA-950 and LAA-950%), and mean lung density (MLD). Linear regression was used to estimate the association between IPVV and the smoking index (SI). A paired t-test was used to compare the QCT parameters between the initial and follow-up CT scans. A total of 656 male participants were enrolled and classified into three subgroups: non-smokers (n=311), current smokers (n=267), and former smokers (n=78). The IPVV of current smokers (134.62±23.96 vs. 120.76±25.52 mL) and former smokers (130.79±25.13 vs. 120.76±25.52 mL) were significantly larger than that of non-smokers (P<0.05). A higher SI was associated with greater IPVV [non-standardized coefficient: 0.167, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.086-0.248]. For current smokers, the IPVV of the follow-up scan significantly increased compared to its baseline scan (135.49±28.60 vs. 129.73±29.75 mL, t=-2.326, P=0.02), but for the non-smokers and former smokers, the IPVV of the follow-up scan did not increase or decrease compared to the baseline scan (P>0.05). Pulmonary vascular volumes detectable on non-contrast CT are associated with cigarette exposure, and smoking cessation may prevent pulmonary vasculature remodeling.

Prognostic value of chest computed tomography in adult inpatients with coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Objectives: Chest computed tomography (CT) plays a crucial role in evaluating patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. This study aimed to assess the association between initial chest CT findings and mortality in adult inpatients with COVID-19 in the city of Goma, North Kivu province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Materials and Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study of patients hospitalized in Goma with COVID-19 pneumonia who underwent chest CT from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. For each patient included, two experienced radiologists independently reviewed the initial chest CT. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify chest CT findings associated with mortality at the 5% significance level. Results: Of 76 patients included in the study, 26 (34.2%) died. The degree of lung parenchymal involvement &gt;25% (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 16.27 [3.30–80.16]) and the presence of consolidations (aOR = 3.33 [1.00–11.47]) were predictive of mortality with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.8392. Sensitivity was 73.08%, specificity was 82%, positive predictive value was 67.86%, and negative predictive value was 85.42%. Conclusion: Lung involvement &gt;25% and consolidations on chest CT appear to predict death in adult inpatients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

The pulmonary contusion score: Development of a simple scoring system for blunt lung injury

BackgroundPulmonary contusions (PC) are common after blunt chest trauma and can be identified with computed tomography (CT). Complex scoring systems for grading PC exist, however recent scoring systems rely on computer-generated algorithms that are not readily available at all hospitals. We developed a scoring system for grading PC to predict the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation and initial hospital admission location. MethodsA retrospective review was performed of adult blunt trauma patients with PC identified on initial chest CT during 2020. Data elements related to demographics, injury characteristics, disposition and healthcare utilization were extracted. The primary outcome was the need for mechanical ventilation for greater than 48 h. A novel scoring system, the Pulmonary Contusion Score (PCS) was developed. The maximum score was 10, with each lobe contributing up to 2 points. A score of 0 was given for no contusion present in the lobe, 1 for less than 50 % contusion, and 2 for greater than 50 % contusion. A PCS of 4 was hypothesized to correlate with need for mechanical ventilation for over 48 h. A confusion matrix of the scoring algorithm was created, and inter-rater concordance was calculated from a randomly selected 125 patients. ResultsA total of 217 patients were identified. 118 patients (54 %) were admitted to the ICU, but only 23 patients (19 %) were intubated, and only 17 patients (8 %) required mechanical ventilation > 48 h. Sensitivity of the scoring system was 20 %, while specificity was 93 %. Negative predictive value was 93 %. Inter-rater agreement was 77 %. ConclusionThe PCS is a scoring system with high specificity and negative predictive value that can be used to evaluate the need for mechanical ventilation after sustaining blunt PC and can help properly allocate hospital resources. Level of evidenceIV - diagnostic criteria

A chest CT-based nomogram for predicting survival in acute myeloid leukemia

BackgroundThe identification of survival predictors is crucial for early intervention to improve outcome in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study aim to identify chest computed tomography (CT)-derived features to predict prognosis for acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods952 patients with pathologically-confirmed AML were retrospectively enrolled between 2010 and 2020. CT-derived features (including body composition and subcutaneous fat features), were obtained from the initial chest CT images and were used to build models to predict the prognosis. A CT-derived MSF nomogram was constructed using multivariate Cox regression incorporating CT-based features. The performance of the prediction models was assessed with discrimination, calibration, decision curves and improvements.ResultsThree CT-derived features, including myosarcopenia, spleen_CTV, and SF_CTV (MSF) were identified as the independent predictors for prognosis in AML (P < 0.01). A CT-MSF nomogram showed a performance with AUCs of 0.717, 0.794, 0.796 and 0.792 for predicting the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) probabilities in the validation cohort, which were significantly higher than the ELN risk model. Moreover, a new MSN stratification system (MSF nomogram plus ELN risk model) could stratify patients into new high, intermediate and low risk group. Patients with high MSN risk may benefit from intensive treatment (P = 0.0011).ConclusionsIn summary, the chest CT-MSF nomogram, integrating myosarcopenia, spleen_CTV, and SF_CTV features, could be used to predict prognosis of AML.

COVID-19 Chest Manifestation on CT Scan and Associated Risk Factors for Developing Pulmonary Fibrosis.

This retrospective study describes the imaging findings on chest computed tomography (CT) scans of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients as well as the prevalence of pulmonary fibrosis and the potential risk factors for the disease. One of the major COVID-19 centers in the western province of Saudi Arabia,the King Abdullah Medical Complex in Jeddah, was the site of this study. All adult COVID-19 patients who got a CT chest scan between January 2020 and April 2022 were included in the trial. The imaging findings and pulmonary severity scores (PSS) were obtained from the patients' CT chest. Patients were divided into two groups according to the evidence of fibrotic-like lung changes; clinical and radiological data between the two groups were subsequently compared. Data from the patients' electronic records was collected. The average patient age was 56.4 years, and most (73.5%) patients were men. Two-thirds of the patients had comorbidities (69.1%). CT scans revealed that diffuse lung infiltration is reported in 61% of cases, followed by lower lobes in 19.9%. Ground glass opacity (94.1%), consolidation (76.5%), septal thickening, and/or reticulation (24.4%) were the main chest findings during the initial CT scan. Fibrotic-like lung changes were developed in 9.6% of patients. Patients known to have a positive history of hypertension (p-value = 0.031) and coronary artery disease (CAD) (p-value = 0.011) were found to be significantly more likely to develop lung fibrosis. The patients' pneumonia severity score was significantly higher among the lung fibrotic patients (p-value = 0.026). Also, patients who were diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis stayed longer in the hospital (p-value 0.001). Sex and age did not correlate significantly with risk of lung fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis was observed in 9.6% of COVID-19 patients. A close follow-up of patients with severe pneumonia, prolonged hospitalization, and pre-existing CAD and hypertension was necessary, as pulmonary fibrosis was more likely to occur as a result of these factors. There is a need for a thorough, long-term investigation with a large sample size.

Survey on chest CT findings in COVID-19 patients in Okinawa, Japan: differences between the delta and omicron variants

To investigate the frequency of pneumonia and chest computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the fifth Delta variant-predominant and sixth Omicron variant-predominant waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Okinawa, Japan. A survey on chest CT examinations for patients with COVID-19 was conducted byhospitals with board-certified radiologists who provided treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia in Okinawa Prefecture. Data from 11 facilities were investigated. Indications for chest CT; number of COVID-19 patients undergoing chest CT; number of patients with late-onset pneumonia, tracheal intubation, and number of deaths; and COVID-19 Reporting and Data System classifications of initial chest CT scans were compared by the chi-squared test between the two pandemic waves (Delta vs. Omicron variants). A total of 1944 CT scans were performed during the fifth wave, and 1178 were performed during the sixth wave. CT implementation rates, which were the number of patients with COVID-19 undergoing CT examinations divided by the total number of COVID-19 cases in Okinawa Prefecture during the waves, were 7.1% for the fifth wave and 2.1% for the sixth wave. The rates of tracheal intubation and mortality were higher in the fifth wave. Differences between the distributions of the CO-RADS classifications were statistically significant for the fifth and sixth waves (p < 0.0001). In the fifth wave, CO-RADS 5 (typical of COVID-19) was most common (65%); in the sixth wave, CO-RADS 1 (no findings of pneumonia) was most common (50%). The finding of “typical for other infection but not COVID-19” was more frequent in the sixth than in the fifth wave (13.6% vs. 1.9%, respectively). The frequencies of pneumonia and typical CT findings were higher in the fifth Delta variant-predominant wave, and nontypical CT findings were more frequent in the sixth Omicron variant-predominant wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Okinawa, Japan.

Could initial CT chest manifestation in patients hospitalized with COVID 19 pneumonia predict outcome on short term basis.

Chest computed tomography (CT) can be used to monitor the course of the disease or response to therapy. Therefore, our study was designed to identify chest CT manifestations that can predict the outcome of patients on short term follow-up. This was a retrospective study wherein we reviewed chest CT scans of 112 real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction positive patients admitted to our hospital. All 112 patients underwent follow-up chest CT at a time interval of 4 to 42 days. Our study included 83 male and 29 female who were positive for COVID 19 infection and admitted to the hospital with positive chest CT findings. All patients underwent follow-up chest CT, and the outcomes were categorized as resolution, regression, residual fibrosis, progression, or death. These proportions were 5.4%, 48.2%, 24.1%, 14.3%, and 8%, respectively. The only significant factor in determining the complete resolution of chest CT was oligo-segmental affection (P = .0001). The main CT feature that significantly affected the regression of chest CT manifestations was diffuse nodular shadows (P = .039). The CT features noted in patients with residual fibrosis were interstitial thickening, with a P value of .017. The mono-segmental process significantly affected progression (P = .044). The significant factors for fatality were diffuse crazy paving, pleural effusion, and extra-thoracic complications (P = .033, .029, and .007, respectively). The prognostic value of the first admission CT can help assess disease outcomes in the earliest phases of onset. This can improve resource distribution.

Type A Aortic Dissection and Non-Contrast Computed Tomography.

Non-contrast enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) carries a low sensitivity for acute aortic dissection; CT Angiography remains the gold standard. We highlight the potential utility of non-contrast CT for detection of aortic dissection in a case of a young, immunocompromised man presenting with acute abdominal pain and renal injury. Given elevated creatinine, an initial non-contrast chest CT demonstrated subtle findings suggestive of aortic dissection (aneurysmal dilation of the proximal ascending aorta as well as displaced calcified intimal flap/intraluminal high linear density in the thoracic descending and distal abdominal aorta). Subsequent CT angiography confirmed the presence of an extensive type A aortic dissection. He underwent emergent exploratory laparotomy and hemiarch repair. Displaced calcified intimal flaps, intraluminal high-densities, intramural hematoma, and aneurysmal aortic dilation are common non-contrast computed tomography imaging findings that suggest aortic dissection.

Prediction of respiratory complications by quantifying lung contusion volume using chest computed tomography in patients with chest trauma

Pulmonary contusion is an important risk factor for respiratory complications in trauma patients. Hence, we aimed to determine the relationship between the ratio of pulmonary contusion volume to the total lung volume and patient outcomes and the predictability of respiratory complications. We retrospectively included 73 patients with a pulmonary contusion on chest computed tomography (CT) from 800 patients with chest trauma admitted to our facility between January 2019 and January 2020. Chest injury severity was expressed as the ratio of pulmonary contusion volume to total lung volume by quantifying pulmonary contusion volume on chest CT. The cut-off value was 80%. Among the 73 patients with pulmonary contusion (77% males, mean age: 45.3 years), 28 patients had pneumonia, and five had acute respiratory distress syndrome. The number of patients in the severe risk group with > 20% of pulmonary contusion volume was 38, among whom 23 had pneumonia. For predicting pneumonia, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the ratio of pulmonary contusion volume was 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.76–0.95, p = 0.008); the optimal threshold was 70.4%. Quantifying pulmonary contusion volume using initial CT enables identifying patients with chest trauma at high risk of delayed respiratory complications.

Inter-observer variability with five computed tomography severity scales for COVID-19 pneumonia assessment.

By the end 2019 there was an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus, a disease that was called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Computed tomography (CT) has played an important role in the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients. To demonstrate inter-observer variability with five scales proposed for measuring the extent of COVID-19 pneumonia on tomography. Thirty five initial chest CT scans of patients who attended respiratory triage for suspected COVID-19 pneumonia were analyzed. Three radiologists classified the tomographic images according to the severity scales proposed by Yang (1), Yuan (2), Chun (3), Wang (4) and Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias-Chung-Pan (5). The percentage of agreement between the evaluators for each scale was calculated using the intra-class correlation index. In most patients were five pulmonary lobes compromised (77.1% of the patients). Scales 1, 2, 4 and 5 showed an intra-class correlation > 0.91 (p < 0.0001), with agreement thus being almost perfect. Scale 4 (proposed by Wang) showed the best inter-observer agreement, with a coefficient of 0.964 (p = 0.001).

The effect of CT-based cardiothoracic ratio on survival of COVID-19 patients

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the relationship between computed tomography (CT)- based cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) with mortality rates of COVID-19 patients. Methods: Our study was a single-center retrospective analysis of 484 patients (aged ≥ 18) who were admitted to our hospital’s emergency department. We included only laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients who underwent chest CT. Data of demographic information, laboratory findings, survivals, and chest CT imaging findings were recorded. The radiologist calculated CTR by dividing the greatest transverse cardiac diameter by the greatest transverse thoracic diameter on the initial chest CT. Cardiomegaly was defined if “CTR &amp;gt; 0.5”. Results: Thirty (6.2%) patients were treated as outpatients, and 135/484 (%27.9) patients were treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). A total of 147 /484 (30.4%) patients died. We found a statistical association between cardiomegaly with mortality rates (p &amp;lt; 0.001) and ICU admission (p = 0.008). In multivariate analysis, older age was 1.07-fold (p &amp;lt; 0.001), cardiomegaly 1.75-fold (p = 0.015), history of cerebrovascular diseases 2.929-fold (p = 0.018), and elevated serum LDH level 1.003-fold (p = 0.011) associated with higher risks of mortality. Conclusions: Since the presence of cardiomegaly on chest CT is associated with a worse prognosis for COVID-19 patients, more caution should be exercised in the evaluation, follow-up, and treatment of COVID-19 patients with cardiomegaly.

Severe Respiratory Failure Developing in the Course of High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema in an Alpinist with COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Case Report.

Pigoń, Katarzyna, Ryszard Grzanka, Ewa Nowalany-Kozielska, and Andrzej Tomasik. Severe respiratory failure developing in the course of high-altitude pulmonary edema in an alpinist with COVID-19 pneumonia: a case report. High Alt Med Biol. 00:000-000, 2022.-The case of a 38-year-old Polish alpinist, evacuated from base camp (4,200 m) under Lenin's Peak due to severe high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and symptoms of acute mountain sickness/high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), is presented. Starting the expedition, the man was asymptomatic and had a negative COVID-19 molecular test. After a few days of trekking, he developed typical HAPE and HACE. After evacuation to the hospital in Bishkek, a diagnosis of acute bronchopneumonia was made by computed tomography (CT) imaging. A COVID-19 test was not performed at that time. After returning to Poland, a complete noninvasive cardiac and pulmonary assessment disclosed no pathology. The initial chest CT reassessment was read as demonstrating the densities typical for COVID-19 pneumonia, and a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test corroborated the diagnosis. Pre-existing lung disease increases the risk of developing HAPE. In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, people traveling at a high altitude and unaware of the infection are at particular risk.

Follow‐up the severity of abnormalities diagnosed in chest CT imaging of COVID‐19 patients: A cross‐sectional study

Background and AimsThis study aimed to evaluate the severity of diagnosed lung abnormalities of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients based on the pre‐and postrecovery follow‐up chest computed tomography (CT) scan findings done at regular intervals.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study was performed in three phases. The severity of lung abnormalities was recorded and compared based on the initial and follow‐up chest CT findings carried out pre‐and at regular intervals (3 and 6 months) of postrecovery of COVID‐19 patients. Statistical data analysis was conducted using SPSS‐Version 26. Pearson Chi‐square test was used to analyze the results. p‐value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsRegarding the initial chest CT findings, although ground‐glass opacity (GGO) was observed as the most common lung lesion, almost all the evaluated COVID‐19 patients had multiple lung lesions and involvements, especially with more involvement of the lower lobes. concerning the frequency of lung lesions and involvements in all phases of the study, almost no statistically significant differences were observed between male and female COVID‐19 patients and different age groups. However, older age groups had relatively more lung abnormalities due to Covid‐19 based on initial CT images which take more time to be eliminated. Lung abnormalities of Covid‐19 patients decreased significantly during the follow ups based on chest CT findings at different study phases.ConclusionAccording to evaluated pre‐ and post‐recovery chest CT scans, the frequency of lung lesions and lung involvement distribution decreased significantly in COVID‐19 patients, 3 and 6 months after recovery, and most of the recovered patients had no lung lesions or involvement anymore.

Initial Screening Chest Computed Tomography Findings of Patients Who Were Admitted to Fırat University Hospital with Pre-diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Objective: To evaluate radiological findings on initial screening of the patients who had chest computed tomography (CT) with the pre-diagnosis of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).&#x0D; Material and Methods: Chest CT images of 90 patients with a pre-diagnosis of COVID-19 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics, symptoms, and comorbid conditions of the patients were recorded. The chest CT findings on initial screening and follow-up were analyzed.&#x0D; Results: The chest CT findings on the initial screening of the patients with a pre-diagnosis of COVID-19 included ground-glass opacities (GGOs) (59%), consolidation (34%), crazy-paving pattern (5%), air bronchogram (18%), vascular dilation (6%), bronchiectasis-bronchial wall thickening (7%), air bubble (7%), subpleural line (10%), halo sign (5%), nodule with irregular borders (9%) and reverse halo sign (%4). The predominant findings in the follow-up CT images included newly developing consolidations in the progression stage, GGOs converting to consolidations, bilateral pleural effusion, traction bronchiectasis, and hilar lymphadenopathy. In the regressed cases, it was observed that the consolidation we observed in the first CT imaging turned into GGOs.&#x0D; Conclusion: Ground-glass opacities were the most common finding in initial screening thorax CT scans of patients with pre-diagnosis of COVID-19. An increase in the ground-glass densities or consolidation areas identified upon initial examination, bilateral pleural effusion, traction bronchiectasis, and hilar lymphadenopathies were observed in the progression stage

Chest Tube Placement in Mechanically Ventilated Trauma Patients: Differences between Computed Tomography-Based Indication and Clinical Decision.

The rate of occult pneumothorax in intubated and mechanically ventilated trauma patients until initial computed tomography (CT) remains undetermined. The primary aims of this study were to analyze initial chest CTs with respect to the thoracic pathology of trauma, the clinical injury severity, and chest tube placement (CTP) before and after CT. In a single-center retrospective analysis of 616 intubated and mechanically ventilated adult patients admitted directly from the scene to the emergency department (ED), 224 underwent CTP (36%). Of these, 142 patients (62%) underwent CTP before CT, of which, 125 (88%) had significant chest injury on CT. Seventeen patients had minor or absent chest injuries, most of which were associated with transient or unrecognized tracheal tube malposition. After CT, CTP was performed in another 82 patients, of which, 56 (68.3%) had relevant pneumothorax and 26 had minor findings on CT. Sixty patients who had already undergone CTP before CT received another CTP after CT, of which, 15 (25%) had relevant pneumothorax and 45 (75%) had functionality issues or malposition requiring replacement. Nine patients showed small pneumothorax on CT, and did not undergo CTP (including four patients with CTP before CT). The physiological variables were unspecific, and the trauma scores were dependent on the CT findings for identifying patients at risk for CTP. In conclusion, the clinical decisions for CTP before CT are associated with relevant false-negative and false-positive cases. Clinical assessment and CT imaging, together, are important indicators for CTP decisions that cannot be achieved by using clinical assessment or CT alone.

Residual Lung Parenchymal CT Changes in COVID-19 Patients and its Association with Common Predictors

Introduction: Chest computed tomography (CT) is used for the screening and diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. The aim of the study is to study the prevalence of residual lung parenchymal CT changes in COVID-19 patients and its association with common predictors. Methods: Longitudinal study conducted at Shree Birendra Hospital in which diagnosed COVID-19 patients with initial CT scan showing COVID-19 related changes were retrospectively enrolled after ethics approval. The study period was from 15 February 2020 to 15 November 2021. Chest CT changes were evaluated and CT scan severity score (CT SS) assigned. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and analysed in SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 16. Results: Males were more common (72.6%) among the 62 enrolled participants with the mean age 53.63 ± 15.05 years. Median interval between two scans was 137 days. Residual lung parenchymal CT changes were seen in 43 (69.4%) participants. Hypertension (25, 40.3%) and GGO (55, 88.7%) were the most common comorbidity and CT features respectively. The mean initial and final CT SS was 10.84 ± 5.87 and 3.55 ± 4.58 respectively (Total score 25, p = 0.001). Age was significantly associated with severity of CT score (p = 0.04). Conclusions: A large percentage of COVID-19 patients have chest CT changes after three months of initial chest CT scan. CT SS reduced significantly in the second scan. Similar studies with long term serial CT follow up of patients is recommended to be carried out in future.

Can Chest Computed Tomography Findings of Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients Upon Admission Indicate Disease Prognosis and Clinical Outcome?

This study aimed to investigate whether initial chest Computed Tomography (CT) findings of COVID-19 patients could predict clinical outcomes, prognoses, and mortality rates associated with the infection. Published studies on chest CT in COVID-19 infection do not go beyond describing the characteristics of the current period. Comparative analysis of chest CT findings upon hospital admission among patients with different clinical outcomes is scarce. We sought to retrospectively evaluate and compare clinical outcomes, prognoses, and mortality rates based upon the initial chest CT findings of 198 consecutive symptomatic patients with COVID-19 confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Patients (N = 198) were divided into three groups according to their clinical outcomes as follows: group 1 (n = 62) included patients discharged from the service, group 2 (n= 60) included patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit, and group 3 (n = 76) included patients who died despite treatment. Predictors of poor prognosis and mortality with regard to chest CT findings included mediastinal lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, and pericardial effusion, and clinical characteristics of age, dyspnea, and hypertension. The halo sign on chest CT was a good prognosis predictor in multivariate analysis. Some CT findings, such as discharge, intensive care unit hospitalization, and death as the worst consequence, significantly correlated with endpoints. These findings support the role of CT imaging for potentially predicting clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19.

COVID-19 illness and treatment decrease bone mineral density of surviving hospitalized patients.

The number patients surviving COVID-19 hospitalization is steadily increasing. Follow-up management for these patients relies on an understanding of the long-term effects of COVID-19. Specifically, there are insufficient data about the lasting effects of COVID-19 on bone health. We aim in this study to evaluate whether COVID-19 illness and treatment adversely affect the bone health of surviving patients. We assessed the bone mineral density (BMD) of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at diagnosis and at follow-up visits. Using the chest computed tomography (CT) scans of patients that were obtained for clinical management at diagnosis and follow-up visits, BMD was retrospectively measured by quantitative CT. The effect of COVID-19 severity markers and treatment-related factors on BMD were also assessed. BMD decreased by a mean of 8.6% (± 10.5%) from diagnosis to follow-up. The follow-up visits occurred at a mean of 81 (± 48) days after hospital discharge. The BMD decrease was significantly greater than expected for age-related annual BMD loss. The osteoporosis ratio increased two-fold after hospitalization for COVID-19 because of this substantial bone loss. On multivariable linear regression, only severity of COVID-19 pneumonia on initial chest CT and total steroid dose were predictive of change in BMD after COVID-19 hospitalization. Secondary osteoporosis may occur as a post-acute sequela of COVID-19. Therefore, the bone health status of patients surviving COVID-19 hospitalization should be monitored closely at follow-up visits, to facilitate the prevention and early treatment of osteoporosis complications.

Radiological Findings on Chest Computed Tomography in Patients With the Primary Diagnosed Chronic Lymphoproliferative Diseases.

IntroductionThe presence of concomitant respiratory pathology complicates the process of treatment and recovery of patients with chronic lymphoproliferative diseases (CLDs). Therefore, the diagnosis of lung injury is an important step in the management of such patients.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, nature, extent, and location of changes diagnosed by high-resolution chest computed tomography (CT) in patients with CLDs at the initial examination.MethodsMedical records of inpatients who were hospitalized in 2018-2019 to the City Hematology Center of the Public Non-Profit Enterprise “City Clinical Hospital #4” of Dnipro City Council with a confirmed clinical diagnosis of CLDs were included in the retrospective study. The results of initial high-resolution chest CT were studied and analyzed.ResultsOut of 1,004 hospitalized patients with confirmed CLDs, 119 patients were primarily diagnosed. Among them, 81 patients underwent chest CT examination (68.1%) before the beginning of specific therapy. The average age was 65 (56;68) years, 46 (56.8%) were men. 23 (28.4%) patients were diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 28 (34.6%) patients with multiple myeloma, 24 (29.6%) patients with lymphoma, and six patients (7.4%) had other CLDs. It was found that both central and peripheral lymphadenopathy had about a third of the studied cohort of patients (33.3 and 29.6%, respectively), and these symptoms dominated in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (43.5 and 50%, respectively), lymphoma (50 and 52.2%, respectively), and other CLDs (45.8 and 16.7%, respectively), in contrast to patients with multiple myeloma (7.1 and 0%, respectively). Lesions of the lung parenchyma were found in 45.7% of the studied cohort and were met more often in patients with multiple myeloma (67.9%). However, when comparing the prevalence of their categories, no statistically significant differences were found. Predictable bone-destructive changes were statistically significantly more common in patients with multiple myeloma than in other groups of patients with CLDs (P=0.0003).ConclusionsSigns of pulmonary diseases during initial chest CT were found almost in half of the patients with CLDs. It potentially may affect the frequency of treatment complications in such patients. Lymphadenopathy was the most common finding on chest CT, especially in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma. And enlarged intrathoracic lymph nodes possibly could lead to pulmonary functions disorders. Among the types of lung parenchyma lesions, pneumofibrosis and foci of consolidation in the lower lung lobes were the most often diagnosed. Chest CT is informative at the stage of the initial examination of patients with CLDs not only for clinical diagnosis but also for the diagnosis of respiratory comorbidities and prediction of the disease outcome and treatment complications.

Initial computed tomography features of known inpatient ward versus intensive care admission COVID-19 cases: is there any difference?

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate initial computed tomography (CT), basic clinical and demographic features of cases with COVID-19 pneumonia with known inpatient ward and intensive care unit hospitalization. Methods: A total of 200 cases (103 males, 97 females; age range: 18-92 years) were retrospectively and randomly collected whom were hospitalized and followed up at infectious disease inpatient ward and intensive care unit (ICU). The initial CT findings were interpreted by two radiologists at the same session by consensus. Results: Cough (61%) and fever (54%) were the main symptoms at the onset presentation. Initial chest CT imaging revealed that 79.5% ground-glass opacities. Bilateral distribution (62.5%), peripheral and central distribution (45.5%), dorsal and ventral involvement (52.5%) were identified in all cases. CT features predominantly were at right and left lower lobes (69.5%, 62.5%; respectively). Cases with known ICU admission had statistically significant differences with inpatient ward admission cases in regards to CT features included mixed GGO and consolidation, bronchial wall thickening, pleural effusion, subpleural band, emphysema, coronary calcification, cardiothoracic ratio, aorta diameter. Conclusions: Initial CT features may be helpful for foreseeing admission to ICU as in clinical features.