INTERPRETATION OF HRCT FINDINGS OF NOVEL CORONA (COVID-19) PNEUMONIA IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS CORRELATED WITH RT-PCR

*Haque Shahara, Nabi Shahryar, Ara Husne, Mahmud Mahfuza, Shams Shamsunnahar, Nahid Sajida, Mohammed Noor, Islam Iftadul

ABSTRACT

Background: High resolution computed tomography scan can be used as an important modality for corona virus disease 2019(COVID -19)being a useful adjunct to RT-PCR specially in asymptomatic and RT-PCR negative patients. Purpose: To Evaluate the efficacy of high resolution CT scan in diagnosis and prognosis of COVID 19 and to see the sensitivity specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive value. We also aimed to compare HRCT findings with RT-PCR in COVID 19 patients to find out the severity and staging of COVID-19 corona virus disease. Materials and Method: This cross sectional prospective observational study was carried out in department of Radiology and imaging, Dhaka Medical College Hospital Dhaka, Bangladesh in collaboration with department of Virology and COVID unit, Dhaka Medical college Hospital, Bangladesh. Observations and Results: Total 151 patients were evaluated with HRCT findings and correlated with RT-PCR as gold standard. Sensitivity was about 96% for chest CT, specificity 65%, PPV 91% accuracy 90% and NPV 84%. Conclusion: Due to high infectivity and asymptomatic transmission, until a highly sensitive and specific COVID 19 test is developed, HRCT should be incorporated into the severity assessment of the patients who are hospitalized. It is an important indicator for future prognosis. Combination of RT –PCR with HRCT evaluation can increase the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic testing to greater than 90%. HRCT will curb the false negativity of sole RT-PCR.

Keywords: HRCT SCAN, RT-PCR, COVID 19, Sensitivity, Specificity, Corona virus.