A preliminary study on the dynamic image evolution of chest high resolution CT in patients with mild COVID-19

Objective To explorethe evolution of continuous dynamic chest high resolution CT (HRCT) image in patients with mild COVID-19. Methods The data of epidemiology, clinical data and continuous dynamic chest high-resolution CT images of the patients with mild COVID-19 were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-five patients (including 24 ordinary patients and 1 light patient) were enrolled in the group, including 14 males and 11 females, with (42±12) years and hospital stay of (19±5) days. The basic image and dynamic image of HRCT were analyzed and compared by the radiologists. Results The clinical manifestations were fever (22 cases), cough (18 cases), expectoration (8 cases), pharyngeal pain (6 cases). Most laboratory tests lack specificity. There was no significant abnormality in chest CT of one light patient. HRCT findings of the common type patients were as follows: (1) the distribution of the lesions: most of the multiple lesions in both lungs (19 cases), the average number of involved lobes (3±1), most of which were located in the extra pulmonary zone near the pleura (22 cases); (2) the morphology and density of the lesions: most of the lesions were ground glass density foci (22 cases), which were patchy and massive (18 cases), nodular (10 cases) and arc broadband (7 cases); With the development of the disease, the density of some lesions increased with localized pulmonary consolidation (10 cases), accompanied by air bronchus sign (5 cases) and halo sign (5 cases). Dynamic changes of HRCT images in the chest: the positive manifestations were found on the 5 (5, 6) day after the onset of the disease, the progressive time of CT lesions was 5 (5, 7) days, the peak time of CT lesions was 11 (10, 13) days, and the turning time of CT lesions was 9 (8, 11) days. Conclusions Continuous dynamic chest HRCT can monitor the basic evolution process of patients with mild COVID-19, and provide a more intuitive basis for clinical early diagnosis and treatment. Key words: COVID-19; Tomography, X-ray computed