COVID-19 findings identified in chest computed tomography: a pictorial essay

Rosa, Marcela Emer Egypto; de Matos, Marina Justi Rosa; Furtado, Renata Silveira Olimpio de Paula; Brito, Vanessa Mizubuti; Amaral, Lucas Tadashi Wada; Beraldo, Gabriel Laverdi; Fonseca, Eduardo Kaiser Ururahy Nunes; Chate, Rodrigo Caruso; Passos, Rodrigo Bastos Duarte; Teles, Gustavo Borges da Silva; Silva, Murilo Marques Almeida; Yokoo, Patrícia; Yanata, Elaine; Shoji, Hamilton; Szarf, Gilberto; Funari, Marcelo Buarque de Gusmão

The disease caused by the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, has been recently described and became a health issue worldwide. Its diagnosis of certainty is given by polymerase chain reaction. High-resolution computed tomography, however, is useful in the current context of pandemic, especially for the most severe cases, in assessing disease extent, possible differential diagnoses and searching complications. In patients with suspected clinical symptoms and typical imaging findings, in which there is still no laboratory test result, or polymerase chain reaction is not available, the role of this test is still discussed. In addition, it is important to note that part of the patients present false-negative laboratory tests, especially in initial cases, which can delay isolation, favoring the spread of the disease. Thus, knowledge about the COVID-19 and its imaging manifestations is extremely relevant for all physicians involved in the patient care, clinicians or radiologists.