RADIOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND CORRELATION OF CT CHEST WITH PROGRESS OF DISEASE IN COVID 19 PATIENTS

Introduction: 1. Corona virus disease 2019(COVID 19) is an infectious disease caused by corona virus strain known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2). Before spreading world wide, the first case was discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019. 2. Throughout the pandemic, the role of imaging has evolved with HRCT serving as different and conceivably superior testing tool to RTPCR testing. As RTPCR will give false negative results in initial days of infection. 3. HRCT Chest aids in diagnosis, complications,detection and prognostication of COVID 19 patients. Aims And Objectives: Aim:To characterize HRCT features in patients with COVID 19 infection Objectives: 1)To investigate and quantify the severity of COVID 19 infection on HRCT. 2)To explore changes in HRCT on spectrum of duration of disease in COVID 19 patients. MaterialsandMethods:Atotalof RTPCR positive COVID 19 50patientsreferredtotheDepartmentofRadiodiagnosis,Narayana MedicalCollege and Hospital in a period from September2020 toSeptember 2021weresubjectedforthestudy.ThepatientswerestudiedusingHigh resolution CT (HRCT) sections of lung from lung apices to lung bases.Collecteddatawasanalysedfordescriptivestatistics. Results: The mean age of patients was 50 years. Therewere 31 males and 19 females in this study.Diabetes mellitus is predominant comorbidity among the patients.Moderate illness(30% 15 patients) is seen in most of the patients as per CT severity index in COVID 19 patients.On follow up CT most of the patients are moderately ill(40%) and 36% are severely ill.80% of the patients have typical CT characteristics.GGOs are the predominant CT finding in initial stage of disease while GGOs and consolidation are the predominant CT finding in later stage of disease.Most of the patients presented in early(32%) and progressive stages(38%) of disease.Most of the early stage patients progressed to progressive stage(62.5%) while few progressed to peak stage(37,5%) patients.Most of the progressive stage patients progressed to peak stage(52.6%) while few progressed to late stage(31.5%). Conclusion: The diverse COVID-19 spectrum included symptoms such as fever, coughing, shortness of breath, sore throat, etc.Positive CT findings were more noticeable in symptomatic patients and patients with co-morbid conditions, giving HRCT chest in COVID-19 patients diagnostic and prognostic significance. The CT severity index and the patients clinical symptoms have a direct correlation. CT imaging is important for monitoring patients clinical progress. The findings of this study supported the importance of chest CT in the identification and treatment of COVID-19 infection.