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Published on: December 19, 2020
Clinical Characteristics and CT Imaging Features of COVID-19 on Admission: A Retrospective Study
Changchun Liu1, Jianping Cai2, Mengmeng Zhang1
1Department of Radiology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
Insights
This study details COVID-19 clinical and CT imaging features. Fever and cough are common symptoms, with elevated C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate observed in patients.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents a significant global health challenge.
- Understanding the clinical and imaging characteristics of COVID-19 is crucial for effective patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical manifestations and computed tomography (CT) imaging findings of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 upon admission.
- To differentiate between common and severe cases based on clinical and laboratory parameters.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients from January to March 2020.
- Categorization of patients into common and severe groups based on disease severity at admission.
- Review of clinical symptoms, laboratory test results, and chest CT imaging features.
Main Results:
- Fever (90.9%) and cough (43.2%) were the most frequent symptoms.
- Common laboratory findings included elevated C-reactive protein (47.7%) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (43.2%), with decreased lymphocyte counts (34.1%).
- Chest CT scans revealed typical COVID-19 findings in 86% of patients, including ground-glass opacity, consolidation, and peripheral/subpleural lesions.
Conclusions:
- Fever and cough are primary symptoms of COVID-19.
- Elevated C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate are key laboratory indicators.
- Characteristic CT imaging findings aid in diagnosing COVID-19 infection.
Background And Aims:
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a global health issue. This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and CT imaging features of patients with COVID-19 on admission.
Methods:
Consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were retrospectively recruited to this study from January 2020 to March 2020. According to the disease severity status on admission, patients were divided into two groups, the common group, and the severe group.
Results:
Forty-four patients (F/M 20/24) who were COVID-19 positive were enrolled in this study. The most common onset symptom was fever (90.9%), followed by cough (43.2%). As for the laboratory tests, common findings included increased C reactive protein (47.7%) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (43.2%) and decreased lymphocyte (34.1%). The frequency of decreased lymphocyte count and increased lactate dehydrogenasewas higher in the severe group (n=14) than in the common group (n=30). About 86% of patients showed typical imaging findings of COVID-19 infection, including ground-glass opacity with ill-defined margins, air bronchogram, interlobular septal thickening, and consolidation. Lesions were mainly located in the peripheral and subpleural regions with diffused distribution and multiple lung lobes were found to be affected.
Conclusion:
Fever and cough were the most common onset symptoms of COVID-19. Increased C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were the most common laboratory findings. Typical signs of chest CT imaging of COVID-19 included ground-glass opacity with ill-defined margins, air bronchogram, interlobular septal thickening, and consolidation.
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