Value of the first chest CT manifestations for suspected imported COVID-19

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical value of the first chest CT manifestations for suspected imported corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

MethodsThe first CT manifestations and clinical data of 34 patients with suspected imported COVID-19 were analyzed retrospectively.The difference of the onset time of patients at different stages confirmed by CT was compared by the two independent samples t-test, and the difference between the chest CT and one-time nucleic acid test for the diagnosis of imported COVID-19 was compared by Fisher's accurate probability method.

ResultsIn the 34 suspected cases, 31 cases were found with COVID-19, and 3 cases with other types of pneumonia (including 1 case of influenza A virus pneumonia, 1 case of influenza B virus pneumonia and 1 case of influenza A and B mixed? virus pneumonia).In the 31 COVID-19 cases, 30 cases were positive and 1 case was negative by chest CT.Chest CT showed 21 cases were at early stage, 9 cases at progressive stage, 0 case at severe stage.The onset time of patients in progressive stage group(6.50±1.90)d was longer than that in early stage group (2.32±1.13)d (P < 0.01).Three cases with other pneumonia showed bilateral pulmonary scattered ground-glass shadows, some of which showed consolidation.Twenty-three cases were confirmed by one-time SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test, and 8 cases were confirmed by two or more times of nucleic acid test.The positive rate of characteristic chest CT manifestations was higher than that of one-time nucleic acid test in the diagnosis of imported COVID-19 (P < 0.05).

ConclusionsAlthough the chest CT manifestations of imported COVID-19 are various, there still are certain characteristics, most of these are multiple ground-glass shadows and partial consolidation under the pleura of both lungs, and the lesions at progressive stage fuse with each other.For suspected cases, the positive rate of characteristic chest CT manifestations is higher than that of one-time nucleic acid test, and those with characteristic CT manifestations in special period should be treated as confirmed cases.