CT Scan Findings of COVID-19 Infection and its Utility as Screening Tool in Lebanon

Rationale and objectives: Emerging evidence is increasingly supporting the COVID-19 diagnostic capacity of CT scan. This study aims to examine the applicability of chest CT scan for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and to determine the association between CT scan manifestations and COVID-19 infection. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of hospital records included all patients who underwent a CT scan and RT PCR for suspected COVID-19 infection presenting to the Rafic Hariri University Hospital (RHUH) in Beirut, Lebanon between 6 March and 17 April 2020. Results: 881 patients were included in the study. COVID-19 patients were significantly more likely to be older (p value= 0.008), have moderate and severe criteria (p value <0.001), be hospitalized (p value<0.001), and die (p value= 0.004). Various CT find - ings were significantly associated with RT PCR results, including bilateral lesions (p value <0.0001), both round and non-round ground glass opacities (GGO), mixed consolidation and GGO, as well as crazy paving. Ancillary CT scan findings correlated with confirmed COVID-19 cases included subpleural line, septal thickening, reverse halo, and pleural thickening. The clinical applica - bility of chest CT scans for the diagnosis of COVID-19 was most evident in patients with moderate to severe criteria. CT scan had a sensitivity of 69.6% and a specificity of 63.7% for COVID-19, as confirmed by RT PCR. Conclusion: Chest CT shows potential as a first-line diagnostic tool for COVID-19, particularly for moderate to severe cases. Establishing disease-specific imaging patterns and reliable indicators is critical for the accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 through chest CT.