Imaging characteristics of initial chest computed tomography and clinical manifestations of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia

PURPOSE: To investigate the chest CT imaging characteristics and clinical manifestations of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. METHODS: This study included 150 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosed from January 10 to February 12, 2020 to analyze their clinical and CT imaging characteristics. RESULTS: The period between symptom onset and initial CT examination ranged from 1 to 8 days. There were 83 cases (55.33%) involving both lungs, 67 cases (44.67%) involving a single lung (left 25 cases and right 42 cases). There were 49 cases (32.67%) of single intrapulmonary lesion, 33 cases (22.00%) of multiple intrapulmonary lesions, 68 cases (44.00%) of diffused intrapulmonary lesions, 67 cases (44.67%) of subpleural lesions, 24 cases (16.00%) of lesions localizing along the bronchovascular bundles, and 59 cases (39.33%) with lesions in both locations. There were 18 cases (12.00%) exhibiting ground-glass nodules of < 10 mm, 124 cases (82.67%) of patchy ground-glass opacities with or without consolidation, 8 cases (5.33%) of cord-like lesions, 6 cases (4.00%) of pleural effusion, and 2 cases (1.33%) of enlarged lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: The main manifestations of initial chest CT in COVID-19 pneumonia patients was ground-glass opacities, commonly involving single site in patients < 35 years old and multiple sites and extensive area in patients > 60 years old. The common lesion sites were the subpleural region and the posterior basal segments of the lower lobes, mostly showing thickening of the interlobular septum and mixed with consolidation.