Chest computed tomography features and dynamic changes of severe corona virus disease 2019 / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the features of chest computed tomography (CT) imaging and dynamic changes of severe corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods:The clinical and CT data of 17 patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19 admitted to Chongqing Public Health Medical Center from January 24 to February 6, 2020 were collected. The first chest CT manifestations and the dynamic changes of imaging during treatment were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The first chest CT manifestations of the 17 patients showed that 16 cases presented with peripheral and subpleural distributions, and two cases presented with three lobes involved, one case with four lobes involved and 14 cases with five lobes involved, and 17 cases presented with ground-glass opacities, ten cases with consolidation, seven cases with subpleural line, nine cases with air bronchogram, three cases with thickened lobular septum, two cases with bronchiectasis, two cases with pleural effusion, three cases with lymphadenopathy with the short diameter of 1.0-1.2 cm.Among 16 patients who underwent repeated CT examination, the lesions of eight patients showed continuous improvement, and those of the other eight patients showed fluctuating changes.Conclusions:The CT findings of severe COVID-19 patients are mainly ground-glass opacities and consolidation, with the peripheral distribution. The range of lesions is wide, with five-lobe involvement mostly. Lymphadenopathy or pleural effusion is rare. Pynamic monitoring chest CT is useful for the evaluation for the therapeutic effects.