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CT presentations of adult and pediatric SARS-CoV-2 patients: A review of early COVID-19 data.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Waller, JV; Lin, KK; Diaz, MJ; Miao, T; Amireh, A; Agyemang, C; Carter, RE; Bae, S; Henry, T
Published in: Radiologia (Engl Ed)
2021

OBJECTIVE: Initial COVID-19 reports described a variety of clinical presentations, but lower respiratory abnormalities are most common and chest CT findings differ between adult and pediatric patients. We aim to summarize early CT findings to inform healthcare providers on the frequency of COVID-19 manifestations specific to adult or pediatric patients, and to determine if the sensitivity of CT justifies its use in these populations. METHODS: PubMed was searched for the presence of the words "CT, imaging, COVID-19" in the title or abstract, and 17 large-scale PubMed and/or Scopus studies and case reports published between January 1, 2020 and April 15, 2020 were selected for data synthesis. RESULTS: Initial CT scans identified ground-glass opacities and bilateral abnormalities as more frequent in adults (74%, n = 698, and 89%, n = 378, respectively) than children (60%, n = 25, and 37%, n = 46). At 14+ days, CT scans evidenced varied degrees of improvement in adults but no resolution until at least 26 days after the onset of flu-like symptoms. In pediatric patients, a third (n = 9) showed additional small nodular GGOs limited to a single lobe 3-5 days after an initial CT scan. CONCLUSION: Early adult CT findings suggest the limited use of CT as a supplemental tool in diagnosing COVID-19 in symptomatic adult patients, with a particular focus on identifying right and left lower lobe abnormalities, GGOs, and interlobular septal thickening. Early pediatric CT findings suggest against the use of CT if RT-PCR is available given its significantly lower sensitivity in this population and radiation exposure.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Radiologia (Engl Ed)

DOI

EISSN

2173-5107

Publication Date

2021

Volume

63

Issue

6

Start / End Page

495 / 504

Location

Spain

Related Subject Headings

  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Lung
  • Humans
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine
  • Child
  • COVID-19
  • Adult
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Waller, J. V., Lin, K. K., Diaz, M. J., Miao, T., Amireh, A., Agyemang, C., … Henry, T. (2021). CT presentations of adult and pediatric SARS-CoV-2 patients: A review of early COVID-19 data. Radiologia (Engl Ed), 63(6), 495–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rxeng.2021.04.004
Waller, J. V., K. K. Lin, M. J. Diaz, T. Miao, A. Amireh, Ch Agyemang, R. E. Carter, S. Bae, and T. Henry. “CT presentations of adult and pediatric SARS-CoV-2 patients: A review of early COVID-19 data.Radiologia (Engl Ed) 63, no. 6 (2021): 495–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rxeng.2021.04.004.
Waller JV, Lin KK, Diaz MJ, Miao T, Amireh A, Agyemang C, et al. CT presentations of adult and pediatric SARS-CoV-2 patients: A review of early COVID-19 data. Radiologia (Engl Ed). 2021;63(6):495–504.
Waller, J. V., et al. “CT presentations of adult and pediatric SARS-CoV-2 patients: A review of early COVID-19 data.Radiologia (Engl Ed), vol. 63, no. 6, 2021, pp. 495–504. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.rxeng.2021.04.004.
Waller JV, Lin KK, Diaz MJ, Miao T, Amireh A, Agyemang C, Carter RE, Bae S, Henry T. CT presentations of adult and pediatric SARS-CoV-2 patients: A review of early COVID-19 data. Radiologia (Engl Ed). 2021;63(6):495–504.
Journal cover image

Published In

Radiologia (Engl Ed)

DOI

EISSN

2173-5107

Publication Date

2021

Volume

63

Issue

6

Start / End Page

495 / 504

Location

Spain

Related Subject Headings

  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Lung
  • Humans
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine
  • Child
  • COVID-19
  • Adult