Clinical features and chest CT findings of 3 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia

Since December 2019, a new type of acute respiratory disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) appeared to Wuhan, China. Currently, positive of virus nucleic acid in respiratory or blood samples is the gold standard for the diagnosis of the disease, but the nucleic acid test may be false negative. Chest CT examination plays an important role in diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. The clinical manifestations, laboratory examination, and chest CT characteristics of 3 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were reported. The mainly clinical manifestation of the 3 patients was fever. White blood cell, neutrophil cell, and lymphocyte cell count can be normal, only C-reactive protein slightly elevated. Real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction of throat swab detection can be negative. Chest CT showed multifocal ground-glass opacities in the peripheral of bilateral lungs. Ground-glass opacities with consolidation, air bronchogram, vascular enlargement, and halo sign were found. In the early stages of COVID-19 pneumonia, the laboratory parameters may be normal, the nucleic acid test may be false negative. Chest CT examination may be helpful for diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia.