Chinese Journal of Academic Radiology最新文献

Purpose: To analyze the initial CT features of different clinical categories of COVID-19.

Material and methods: A total of 86 patients with COVID-19 were analyzed, including the clinical, laboratory and imaging features. The following imaging features were analyzed, the lesion amount, location, density, lung nodule, halo sign, reversed-halo sign, distribution pattern, inner structures and changes of adjacent structures. Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, or Mann-Whitney U test was used for the enumeration data. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to draw a regression equation to estimate the likelihood of severe and critical category. The forward conditional method was employed for variable selection.

Results: Significant statistical differences were found in age (p = 0.001) and sex (p = 0.028) between mild and moderate and severe and critical category. No significant difference was found in clinical symptoms and WBC count between the two groups. The majority of cases (91.8%) showed multifocal lesions. The presence of GGO was higher in severe and critical category than in the mild and moderate category. (57.8% vs.31.7%, p = 0.015). Lymphocyte count was important indicator for the severe and critical category.

Conclusion: The initial CT features of the different clinical category overlapped. Combining with laboratory test, especially the lymphocyte count, could help to predict the severity of COVID-19.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42058-021-00056-4.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it had rapidly spread to the whole world and seriously threatened the global health. Imaging examination plays an important role in the clinical diagnosis of this disease, which leads to the high infection risk of the medical staff in the radiology department. In this review, the authors thoroughly summed up the experience in the management and operation of radiology department and shared their experience of the protective and control strategies and work plan during the epidemic, including but not limited to the management framework of the radiology department, the environment and layout in the department, the requirements for protection of different posts and the equipment, as well as the essential diagnosis of COVID-19. It is worth noting that the main goal of the radiology department in every country is to complete the radiology examination safely and make an accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 patients.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42058-021-00055-5.

Objective: We aim to investigate high-resolution CT features of COVID-19 infection in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and to compare the diagnostic performance of CT scan with RT-PCR test.

Methods: Data of consecutive patients who were suspected to have COVID-19 infection and presented to our hospital were collected from March 2, 2020, until April 12, 2020. All patients underwent RT-PCR test; out of which 53.8% had chest CT scan done. Using RT-PCR as a standard reference, the sensitivity and specificity of the CT scan were calculated. We also analyzed the most common imaging findings in patients with positive RT-PCR results.

Results: The typical HRCT findings were seen in 50 scans (65.8%) out of total positive ones; 44 (77.2%) with positive RT-PCR results and 6 (31.6%) with negative results. The peripheral disease distribution was seen in 86%, multilobe involvement in 70%, bilateral in 82%, and posterior in 82% of the 50 scans. The ground glass opacities were seen in 50/74 (89.3%) of the positive RT-PCR group. The recognized GGO patterns in these scans were: rounded 50%, linear 38%, and crazy-paving 24%. Using RT-PCR as a standard of reference, chest HRCT scan revealed a sensitivity of 68.8% and specificity of 70%.

Conclusion: The commonest HRCT findings in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were peripheral, posterior, bilateral, multilobe rounded ground-glass opacities. The performance of HRCT scan can vary depending on multiple factors.

Background: Evaluation of X-ray reject analysis is an important quality parameter in diagnostic facility. The aim of this study was to find out the radiograph rejection and its causes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemics as there was fear of coronavirus disease infection among the technical staff from the incoming patients in a busy, high volume public sector tertiary care hospital.

Materials and method: This descriptive study was conducted at Radiology Department, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from August to November, 2020. The rejected radiographs and their causes were analyzed.

Results: A total of 15,000 X-ray procedures were conducted during study period out of which 2550 cases were repeated making the total rejection 17%. Rejection in male and female were 74.3 and 25.7%, respectively, while rejection in adults was (80.1%) and (19.9%) in pediatric age group of the total rejection. The main cause of rejection was positioning (30.5%) followed by artifacts (22.4%), motion (12.1%), improper collimation (10%), wrong labeling (8.4%), exposure errors (6.9%), detector errors (3.7%), machine faults (2.8%), re-request from referring physician (1.7%), and PACS issues (1.5%). In terms of body anatomical parts, the highest rejection was observed in extremities (44.1%), followed by chest radiography (23.3%), spine (11.4%), abdomen (6.4%), skull (5.9%), pelvis (4.7%), KUB (3.7%), and neck (0.6%), respectively.

Conclusion: Radiograph rejection is common problem in every diagnostic facility but significant reduction can be achieved by implementing rejection analysis as basic quality indicator, and conducting technologist/s specific training programs for their knowledge and skill enhancement.