Novel Corona Virus 2019 Disease: Assessment on High-Resolution Computed Tomography Thorax

Objectives This particular study was undertaken to assess the role of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) thorax in diagnosing patients with novel Corona virus-2019 disease and screening suspected COVID-19 cases. It also involves an assessment of the severity of bilateral lung involvement in proven and suspected cases of COVID-19 infection. Materials and methods Two hundred and fourteen symptomatic cases referred to the department of radio-diagnosis were evaluated in this study. HRCT thorax was performed on SIEMENS Somatom Emotion 16-slice spiral CT. Initially, a tomogram was taken, followed by sections in the lung window at B90s, kVp 130, with a pitch of 1.15. The images are then reconstructed into 1.0-mm-thin slices. Radiologists then interpreted the scans for features of COVID-19 disease. Various imaging features and the severity of the disease were analysed in all patients. Results We observed that the male population was more affected by the disease (72% of the total cases). The most consistent and common HRCT finding is that of ground-glass opacity (GGO), which was present in 172 cases, corresponding to 78.4% of the cases. Crazy pavement appearance was seen in 41.2 % of the cases. Other findings included consolidation, discrete nodules surrounded by ground-glass opacification, subpleural linear opacities, and tubular bronchiectasis. Conclusion HRCT thorax plays an ideal role in diagnosing COVID-19 disease with high sensitivity and also provides prompt results as compared to RT-PCR. It also helps in grading the severity of the disease based on various patterns and the extent of lung parenchyma involved. Therefore, because of the immediate results and the ability to grade the disease, HRCT became invaluable in directing the treatment of COVID-19 disease.