Imaging features of COVID-19: a series of 56 cases / 中华临床感染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the imaging features of CT scan in patients with COVID-19.Methods:Clinical data of 56 patients with COVID-19 from January 17 to 19, 2020 admitted to Wenzhou Central Hospital and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical manifestations, lung imaging characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with different severity were analyzed with SAS software.Results:Fever (92.8%, 52/56), dry cough (75.0%, 42/56) and asthenia (58.9%, 33/56) were the first symptoms in most of the patients; some patients also had shortness of breath (25.0%, 14/56) and pharyngeal pain (10.7%, 6/56). Chest high-resolution CT scan showed that in 42 moderate patients, ground glass-like high-density shadows in the lung were observed in 30 cases (71.4%) ; localized plaque consolidation shadows and bronchial inflation signs were observed in 10 cases (23.8%). In 12 severe patients, 11 had high-density patches involving multiple lung lobes (≥3). In 2 critically ill patients the patches and stripes involving the entire lung were observed; and cord-like high-density shadow, local consolidation and fibrosis were also shown.Conclusion:The multiple ground-glass changes outside the lungs are early imaging manifestations of COVID-19 patients. The increase in pulmonary lobe consolidation and fibrosis may indicate the disease progression, and the degree of lung consolidation and fibrosis is closely related to the disease severity.