Early temporal changes on CT chest in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia

Computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest helps in the evaluation, prognostication, and follow-up of patients with Corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) pneumonia.

To study the early temporal evolution of findings on CT chest in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia at 6 weeks follow up.

A retrospective analysis was performed on 40 patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia who underwent baseline chest CT scans followed by a repeat scan at six weeks. Patients were quantitatively assessed using an objective CT severity score and qualitatively assessed using imaging parameters like consolidation, ground glass opacities (GGOs), parenchymal bands, septal thickening, nodules and crazy paving pattern.

Mean age of our study population was 58.5 ± 10.2 years with 80% being males. The baseline CT scan revealed a total median CT severity score interquartile range (IQR) of 16/25 (range: 14-20) while the follow-up scan after six weeks revealed a median score (IQR) of 14/25 (range: 8-19). This difference was statistically significant (p=0.04). The difference in CT severity scores of bilateral upper lobes was statistically significant (p=0.04 on right side and p=0.009 on left side); however, the difference in scores of bilateral lower lobes was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The common imaging patterns on baseline imaging were GGO (97.5%), con-solidation (85%), septal thickening (85%), parenchymal bands (60%) and nodules (32.5%), which showed an interval resolution in the follow-up CT scan.

Most of the patients with COVID-19 pneumonia showed interval resolution of lung findings seen on short-term follow-up CT scan.