COVID-19 pneumonia: lessons learned, challenges, and preparing for the future

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease that causes life-threatening health problems during acute illness, causing a pandemic and millions of deaths. Although computed tomography (CT) was used as a diagnostic tool for COVID-19 in the early period of the pandemic due to the inaccessibility or long duration of the polymerase chain reaction tests, current studies have revealed that CT scan should not be used to diagnose COVID-19. However, radiologic findings are vital in assessing pneumonia severity and investigating complications in patients with COVID-19. Long-term symptoms, also known as long COVID, in people recovering from COVID-19 affect patients’ quality of life and cause global health problems. Herein, we aimed to summarize the lessons learned in COVID-19 pneumonia, the challenges in diagnosing the disease and complications, and the prospects for future studies.