CO-RADS versus CT-SS scores in predicting severe COVID-19 patients: retrospective comparative study

BACKGROUND: The role of CT in assessing and plotting viral pulmonary affection land marking is its potential among other investigation tools, and the aim of the study was to compare the ability of two different CT-based scoring systems in discriminating severe COVID-19 disease. RESULTS: Retrospective comparative study included 142 confirmed COVID-19 patients by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, with different degrees of disease (mild to severe), the data of patients collected from medical records, and patients with their first CT chest read for calculating CO-RADS and severity scoring system (CT-SS) score. The patients with severe COVID-19 disease were significantly older and had different comorbidities. The level of C-reactive protein, ESR, ferritin, and LDH were significantly higher in severe disease, P < 0.001. The ability of CT chest and its score bases (CT-SS and CO-RADS) were accurate in differentiation between mild/moderate and severe disease; AUC were 89% and 97%, respectively. The cutoff value of less than 7.5 and 4.5 for CT-SS and CO-RADS, respectively, can rule out severe COVID-19 by 90% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CT chest play a segregate role in COVID-19 disease, add on an advantage in clinical data in triage, and highlight the decision of hospital admission.