CT Imaging Features of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

Radiology. 2020 Apr;295(1):202-207. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2020200230. Epub 2020 Feb 4.

Abstract

In this retrospective case series, chest CT scans of 21 symptomatic patients from China infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) were reviewed, with emphasis on identifying and characterizing the most common findings. Typical CT findings included bilateral pulmonary parenchymal ground-glass and consolidative pulmonary opacities, sometimes with a rounded morphology and a peripheral lung distribution. Notably, lung cavitation, discrete pulmonary nodules, pleural effusions, and lymphadenopathy were absent. Follow-up imaging in a subset of patients during the study time window often demonstrated mild or moderate progression of disease, as manifested by increasing extent and density of lung opacities.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / diagnostic imaging
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*