Frequency of typical and atypical computed tomography findings of COVID-19 and their effect on hospitalization

This study aimed to determine the frequency of typical and atypical computed tomography (CT) findings of COVID-19 and their effect on hospitalization.

We retrospectively assessed 414 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and who had lung involvement in their admission chest CT. We evaluated the frequency of typical and atypical chest CT findings and analyzed the relationship between typical and atypical findings of COVID-19 in patients treated in ambulatory versus inpatient settings.

Ground-glass opacities were the most common typical finding of COVID-19 chest CT scans. The frequencies of other typical findings, including consolidation, air bronchogram, pulmonary vascular enlargement (PVE), airway changes, crazy paving pattern, and reticular pattern, were similar to those reported in the literature. Atypical findings were less common and found at varying frequencies. Crazy paving pattern, air bronchogram, reticular pattern, and PVE were significantly more common in hospitalized patients (p<0.001). The frequencies of other typical and atypical findings were not significantly different between ambulatory and hospitalized patients.

Increased recognition of typical and atypical findings of COVID-19 and their frequencies, as well as knowledge of admission chest CT findings that are associated with hospitalization, will facilitate medical care during the pandemic.