Role of chest computed tomography and chest x-rays in covid-19 patients and correlation with clinical and laboratory findings

Abstract

Present study is an observational retrospective, cross sectional study based upon 200 hospitalized patients in Heritage Institute of Medical Sciences. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the performance of chest CT and X-Rays in the diagnosis and severity of Covid-19, to assess the different findings in chest CT and X-Rays, calculate the CT severity scores and evaluate the common and uncommon findings on CT. Our objective was to correlate the CT score (mild, moderate and severe) with laboratory parameters (especially RT-PCR, CRP,D-dimer,IL-6,Serum Ferritin) and clinical severity of disease. We wanted to compare the sensitivity of HRCT chest and RT-PCR in diagnosing Covid-19 infections. HRCT chest findings were positive in all patients with GGO, consolidation, crazy paving, thickened interlobular septa the most common findings. X-Ray chest was positive in 50% with mild disease and 70%patients with progressive disease with GGO being the commonest finding. The laboratory parameters including CRP,D-dimer,IL-6,S.Ferritin) showed significant increase with increasing CT scores and clinical worsening. Main clinical presentation was dry cough, sore throat,dyspnea&fever. Literature supported our findings in majority of cases.