1. High-resolution CT features in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and negative nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs
- Author
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Elisa Baratella, Filippo Crimì, Paola Crivelli, Andrea Vianello, Luca Cancian, Emilio Quaia, Quaia, Emilio, Baratella, Elisa, Crimi, Filippo, Cancian, Luca, Crivelli, Paola, and Vianello, Andrea
- Subjects
Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine ,2019-20 coronavirus outbreak ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,High resolution CT ,High resolution ,negative nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs ,Diseases of the respiratory system ,X ray computed ,Nasopharynx ,Humans ,Medicine ,In patient ,Covid-19 pneumonia ,Letter to the Editor ,Original Research ,RC705-779 ,Clinical Laboratory Techniques ,SARS-CoV-2 ,business.industry ,COVID-19 ,medicine.disease ,Pneumonia ,Radiology ,Tomography, X-Ray Computed ,business - Abstract
This study aimed to describe the chest CT findings in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who had initially tested negative by NP/OP swab. The final goal is to assist physicians to avoid missed or delayed diagnoses of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Out of 453 patients admitted to the ED and administered chest CT during the study period, 159 had a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia, according to WHO guidance. In 28 of these confirmed cases (mean age, 64 ± 15 years; male/female, 18/10), the patients initially tested negative by RT-PCR (study group). SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed in these patients by repeated NO/OP swab test (nineteen cases) and bronchoalveolar lavage test (nine cases) over a 6-day duration (range, 3---8 days). Unilateral lung involvement was detected in 20 out of the 28 cases. Radiologic abnormalities had peripheral distribution in 27 cases (96%) and involved two or more lobes in four cases (14%). Unilateral GGOs with or without consolidations or crazy paving were significantly more common among patients in the study group compared with those who initially tested positive (19/28 vs. 6/131; p < 0.0001)
- Published
- 2021