Chest high-resolution computed tomography imaging findings of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pneumonia

Abstract

Background: We aimed to investgate the chest high-resoluton computed tomography (HRCT) imaging manifestatons of patents with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Materials and Methods: Chest HRCT images of 12 patents who were diagnosed as COVID-19 pneumonia in our insttute from January 28, 2020 to February 16, 2020 were retrospectvely reviewed. Results: The most typical HRCT findings were bilateral pulmonary parenchymal ground-glass opacites, with or without consolidaton in the lung periphery, and sometmes also showed a rounded morphology. Three (25%) patents had typical crazy paving signs, 3 (25%) patents showed air bronchogram, 2 (16.67%) patents with bronchial wall thickening signs, and 5 (41.67%) patents had vascular perforator signs. Only one (8.33%) patent had unilateral involvement in the left upper lobe. Lung cavitaton, pleural effusions and intrathoracic lymph node enlargement were not found in all patents. The severity of the lesions in the right lung, and in the lower lobe were worsen than those in the left lung and upper lobe, respectvely. Lesions in the lateroposterior zone of the lung were more common than those in the apical and central areas. Notably, 9 (75%) patents with chest HRCT findings related to COVID-19 pneumonia had negatve results of concurrent nucleic acid tests. Conclusion: Chest HRCT can provide an important basis for early clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia, and help subsequent interventon for the patents to stop further transmission, especially consider that the mild clinical symptoms and the inital negatve results of nucleic acid tests of these patents are common.