COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY VERSUS PCR TEST: EVALUATING THE DIAGNOSTIC PRECISION OF CHEST COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN COVID-19 PATIENTS

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY VERSUS PCR TEST: EVALUATING THE DIAGNOSTIC PRECISION OF CHEST COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN COVID-19 PATIENTS (Abstract): The aim of the study is to analyze the lesions detected on chest computed- tomography in case of patients with suspicion of COVID-19 infection in comparison with RT-PCR (+), exploring the correlation between demographic factors and disease progression. Materials and methods: We retrospectively studied 830 patients suspected to have COVID-19 19 infection, who underwent computed tomography at " Sf. Spiridon" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, Iasi, Romania, from January to December 2021, and found 108 patients with lung lesions consistent with COVID-19 infection. We explored the correlation between demographic factors and disease progression, established CO-RADS classification and the correlation with PCR test. Results: Among 108 patients who had chest CT lesions consistent with COVID-19 infection, 92 patients had a positive RT-PCR test. Our study found a slight male predominance (54.63%), with moderate to severe cases more common among males, and an increased incidence in patients over 50, peaking in the 50-59 age group (33.33%). Severe cases being prevalent in the 60-69 age group (9.26%), suggesting a higher risk in these age ranges. Ground glass opacity was the most common CT finding (96.30%), while less common findings included pericardial effusion and halo signs (2.78%). A significant correlation was observed between CO-RADS classification and disease severity, with 53.70% of the most severe cases associated with CO-RADS 5. These findings suggest that CO-RADS classification helps also in assessing COVID-19 severity. Conclusions: Patients above 50 years old have a high risk of developing pulmonary lesions in case of COVID-19 infection; most of the patients with severe course were between 50 and 69 years old suggesting this age range is a risk factor. Ground glass appearance was the most common finding depicted on CT, seen in a majority of the cases, the other findings (pericardial effusion, halo sign and reversed halo sign) being less frequent. In our study the majority of the patients that had positive RT-PCR test, as well as severe disease, had also CO-RADS 5, which may suggest a positive correlation between the CO-RADS classification and the severity and the likelihood of having COVID-19 infection.