Typical and atypical CT chest imaging findings of novel coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) in correlation with clinical data: impact on the need to ICU admission, ventilation and mortality

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to highlight the typical and atypical chest CT imaging features at first presentation in 120 patients who were proved to be COVID-19 by PCR and to correlate these findings with the need for ICU admission, ventilation, and mortality. We retrospectively included 120 patients 71 males (59.2%) and 49 females (40.8%) with a mean age of 47.2 ± 14.4 years. Patients subjected to clinical assessment, CBC, PCR for COVID-19, and non-contrast CT chest at first presentation. Typical and atypical imaging findings were reported and correlated with the clinical findings of the patients, the need for ICU admission, ventilation, and mortality. RESULTS: Clinically, fever was seen in 112 patients followed by dry cough in 108 patients and malaise in 35 patients. The final outcome was complete recovery in 113 cases and death in 7 cases. Typical CT findings included bilateral peripheral ground-glass opacities (GGO) in 74.7%, multilobar affection in 92.5% while atypical findings such as homogeneous consolidation, pleural effusion, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and single lobar affection were found in 13.4, 5, 6.7, and 7.5% respectively. A statistically significant association between the presence of white lung, pleural effusion, peripheral GGO, and the need for ICU admission as well as mechanical ventilation was noted. The death was significantly higher among elderly patients; however, no significance was found between the imaging features and mortality. CONCLUSION: CT features at first presentation can predict the need for ICU admission and the need for ventilation but cannot predict the mortality outcome of the patients.