[Radiological manifestations of pulmonary diseases in COVID-19]

Since its emergence in late 2019, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, termed COVID-19, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Reference standard for the diagnosis of COVID-19 is a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. While the RT-PCR shows a high specificity, its sensitivity depends on the duration of symptoms, viral load, quality of the sample, and the assay used.

Chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) of the chest are the imaging modalities primarily used for assessment of the lung manifestations, extent, and complications of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Sensitivity and specificity of chest radiography is low. While sensitivity of CT for detecting COVID-19 pneumonia is high-averaging around 90%-its specificity is low-between 25 and 33%.

Indications for imaging in patients with suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 infection should be carefully considered to minimize the risk of infection for medical personnel and other patients. Imaging, particularly CT, can assess disease extent, complications, and differential diagnoses. COVID-19 pneumonia typically presents with bilateral, subpleural areas of ground glass opacifications with or without consolidations. During the course of the disease features resembling organizing pneumonia can occur. Follow-up examinations after recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia should focus on fibrotic changes of the lung parenchyma.