Temporal lung changes on thin-section CT in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Chest computed tomography (CT) is crucial for diagnosing COVID-19 pneumonia.
• Understanding the temporal evolution of CT findings is essential for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the temporal characteristics of chest CT findings in COVID-19 pneumonia patients.
• To correlate CT findings with disease progression and resolution.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 141 chest CT scans from 56 COVID-19 patients in Huizhou, China.
• Scans were grouped by time post-illness onset (1st, 2nd, 3rd week, >3 weeks).
• Follow-up scans assessed lesion reduction (≥75%, 50-75%, 25-50%, <25%).

Main Results:

• Ground-glass opacities were prevalent across all time groups (58.1-82.6%).
• Consolidation was highest in week 2 (26.2%), and fibrous stripes peaked in week 3 (46.7%).
• Total CT scores were higher in weeks 2 and 3; 24.4% of patients showed ≥75% lesion reduction.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 pneumonia exhibits distinct temporal patterns on chest CT, with peak involvement around weeks 2-3.
• Persistent lung abnormalities suggest potential need for extended isolation post-hospital discharge.