CT Findings in a Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pneumonia at Initial Presentation

Xiang, Chao; Lu, Ji; Zhou, Jun; Guan, Li; Yang, Cheng; Chai, Changzhu

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 first broke out in China and spread rapidly over the world. OBJECTIVES: To describe the CT features of COVID-19 pneumonia and to share our experience at initial diagnoses. Patients and Methods. Data from 53 patients (31 men, 22 women; mean age, 53 years; age range, 16-83 years) with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia were collected. Their complete clinical data was reviewed, and their CT features were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The average time between onset of illness and the initial CT scan was six days (range, 1-42 days). A total of 399 segments were involved and distributed bilaterally (left lung: 186 segments [46.6%], right lung: 213 segments [53.4%]) and peripherally (38 [71.7%] patients). Multiple lobes (45 [84.9%]) and bilateral lower lobes (left lower lobe: 104 [26.1%], right lower lobe: 107 [26.8%], and total: 211 [52.9%]) were the most commonly involved. Ground-glass opacity with consolidation (24 [45.3%]) and pure ground-glass opacity (28 [52.8%]) were the main findings. The other findings were crazy-paving (14 [26.4%]), bronchiectasis (12 [22.6%]), atelectasis (7 [13.2%]), parenchymal bands (6 [11.3%]), air bronchogram (6 [11.3%]), interlobular thickening (5 [9.4%]), reticular pattern (1 [1.9%]), and pleural effusion (1 [1.9%]). CONCLUSIONS: Most COVID-19 pneumonia patients had abnormalities on chest CT images at initial presentation. Imaging features combined with patient's exposure history and onset symptoms could facilitate the identification of the suspected patient for further examinations.