Early Clinical and CT Manifestations of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pneumonia

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to investigate early clinical and CT manifestations of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia confirmed by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid test (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) were enrolled in this retrospective study. The clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and CT findings were evaluated. RESULTS. One hundred eight patients (38 men, 70 women; age range, 21-90 years) were included in the study. The clinical manifestations were fever in 94 of 108 (87%) patients, dry cough in 65 (60%), and fatigue in 42 (39%). The laboratory results were normal WBC count in 97 (90%) patients and normal or reduced lymphocyte count in 65 (60%). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was elevated in 107 (99%) patients. The distribution of involved lobes was one lobe in 38 (35%) patients, two or three lobes in 24 (22%), and four or five lobes in 46 (43%). The major involvement was peripheral (97 patients [90%]), and the common lesion shape was patchy (93 patients [86%]). Sixty-five (60%) patients had ground-glass opacity (GGO), and 44 (41%) had GGO with consolidation. The size of lesions varied from smaller than 1 cm (10 patients [9%]) to larger than 3 cm (56 patients [52%]). Vascular thickening (86 patients [80%]), crazy paving pattern (43 patients [40%]), air bronchogram sign (52 patients [48%]), and halo sign (69 [64%]) were also observed in this study. CONCLUSION. The early clinical and laboratory findings of COVID-19 pneumonia are low to midgrade fever, dry cough, and fatigue with normal WBC count, reduced lymphocyte count, and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level. The early CT findings are patchy GGO with or without consolidation involving multiple lobes, mainly in the peripheral zone, accompanied by halo sign, vascular thickening, crazy paving pattern, or air bronchogram sign.

Keywords: COVID-19; CT; SARS-CoV-2; clinical manifestations; coronavirus; pneumonia.