CHEST Guidelines-The-Usefulness-of-Chest-CT-Imaging-in-Patients-Wit

The-Usefulness-of-Chest-CT-Imaging-in-Patients-Wit

Pdf Summary

This literature review examines the evolving role of chest CT imaging in managing patients with COVID-19, emphasizing its utility for diagnosis, prognosis, and management of the disease. <br /><br />Early in the pandemic, chest CTs were instrumental due to the slow availability of molecular testing, often displaying greater sensitivity than RT-PCR tests in the early stages. Although they are not recommended for routine diagnosis due to nonspecific findings, they remain useful in moderate to severe cases, especially for patients with significant respiratory complications or negative RT-PCR results but high clinical suspicion for COVID-19.<br /><br />The review outlines specific CT findings that can aid diagnosis, including ground-glass opacity and organizing pneumonia patterns. New CT-based scoring systems, like CO-RADS and CT severity scores, have been developed to help categorize the likelihood of COVID-19 infections and assess disease severity. These systems can assist in patient triage and predict outcomes, implying that certain imaging features can indicate disease severity and potential complications.<br /><br />Beyond acute diagnosis, chest CTs are valuable for subacute and chronic COVID-19 complications. In particular, they help monitor recovery and the potential development of long-term lung conditions, such as fibrotic lung disease, which could emerge post-COVID-19 in some patients. Moreover, CT imaging is essential in identifying secondary conditions such as thromboembolic events and barotrauma in critically ill patients.<br /><br />The document highlights the necessity for standardized CT reporting for COVID-19, which aids in the proper clinical management of patients and could be crucial in future waves of the pandemic, given new virus variants. Lastly, the review suggests that further studies and the integration of artificial intelligence may enhance the role of CT imaging in understanding and managing COVID-19.

Keywords

chest CT imaging

COVID-19 diagnosis

prognosis

ground-glass opacity

CT severity scores

CO-RADS

fibrotic lung disease

thromboembolic events

artificial intelligence

standardized CT reporting