Three unsuspected CT diagnoses of COVID-19

Vu, David; Ruggiero, Maryanne; Choi, Woo Sung; Masri, Daniel; Flyer, Mark; Shyknevsky, Inna; Stein, Evan G.

PURPOSE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel strain of coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has quickly spread around the globe. Health care facilities in the USA currently do not have an adequate supply of COVID-19 tests to meet the growing demand. Imaging findings for COVID-19 are non-specific but include pulmonary parenchymal ground-glass opacities in a predominantly basal and peripheral distribution. METHODS: Three patients were imaged for non-respiratory-related symptoms with a portion of the lungs in the imaged field. RESULTS: Each patient had suspicious imaging findings for COVID-19, prompting the interpreting radiologist to suggest testing for COVID-19. All 3 patients turned out to be infected with COVID-19, and one patient is the first reported case of the coincident presentation of COVID-19 and an intraparenchymal hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Using imaging characteristics of COVID-19 on abdominal or neck CT when a portion of the lungs is included, patients not initially suspected of COVID-19 infection can be quarantined earlier to limit exposure to others.