Early chest computed tomography to diagnose COVID-19 from suspected patients: A multicenter retrospective study

Congliang Miao; Mengdi Jin; Li Miao; Xinying Yang; Peng Huang; Huanwen Xiong; Peijie Huang; Qi Zhao; Jiang Du; Jiang Hong

Apparently, when features combined, it presented relatively low sensitivity but extremely high specificity. The average specificity of all combinations is around 90%, and the combination of GGO with crazy-paving pattern and bilateral pulmonary distribution was the highest at 99% when three items combined. Even all reached to 99% for four items. Conclusion comes out that the combinations of GGO with different features in chest CT might significantly increase the specificity in diagnosis of COVID-19. It means in series of crazy-paving pattern, air bronchogram, bilateral lower pulmonary distribution, bilateral lower pulmonary distribution and pleural distribution, as long as they appear simultaneously with GGO on chest CT, COVID-19 should be highly suspected, even if the patient had repeatedly negative RT-PCR outcomes. This might help emergency physicians identify COVID-19 patients faster and more effectively. Based on accumulated experience, we recommend these patients to be quarantined and repeat the RT-PCR tests until the average incubation ends, especially in the areas with severe outbreaks. Worth noting that, COVID-19 is currently in the period of outbreak and as is still the season of all kinds of influenzas. Epidemiological exposure, RT-PCR test and chest CT scan are equally critical to diagnosis. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.