Imaging of pulmonary sequelae described in viral pandemics prior to SARS-CoV-2 as a prediction model

Abstract

Knowledge of lung sequelae after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still limited given the short follow-up time. In this work, publications with a follow-up of radiological findings once the infection caused by other previously described viruses that have the lung as their target organ and that cause probably similar changes are reviewed, including the coronaviruses that cause Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV), and influenza A-subtype H1N1 virus. Lung damage caused by these viruses leads to slow-resolution interstitial disease, with variable correlation with respiratory function tests. The greater extension of the sequelae has been associated with an older age and a greater severity of the infectious clinical picture. However, the pulmonary imaging findings and their long-term functional impact are still unknown.