Arnljótur Björn Halldórsson¹

Gísli Þór Axelsson²

Helgi Már Jónsson¹

Jóhann Davíð Ísaksson¹

Hrönn Harðardóttir³

Gunnar Guðmundsson^2,3

Sif Hansdóttir^2,3

 

¹Landspitali, National University Hospital of Iceland, Department of radiology, ²University of Iceland, Faculty of medicine, ³Landspitali, National University Hospital of Iceland, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Sleep

Correspondence: Sif Hansdóttir, sifhan@landspitali

Key words: COVID-19, pneumonia, Computed Tomography, (CT) scan

Introduction Infections due to COVID-19 can lead to life threatening pneumonia. Accompanying severe disease are more prominent pulmonary changes on Computed Tomography (CT) scan of the chest. The goal of this study was to describe pulmonary CT changes during acute COVID-19 and at follow up and whether the extent of changes correlate with severity of illness, demographics or other risk factors.

Materials and methods Included in this study are all individuals that had confirmed COVID-19 and came for a follow up CT of the chest at Landspitali from May to September 2020. Information regarding medical history was obtained retrospectively from medical charts. All CT scans were reviewed using an international staging system to evaluate the extent of lung changes.

Results Eighty-five patients with a mean age of 59 years were included in the study. Sixty patients (71%) were hospitalized during the acute phase and 18 (21%) were admitted to the ICU. During the acute phase more pronounced lung involvement was seen in males and patients admitted to the ICU. At follow-up females had less lung involvement but there was a significant relationship between a higher CT score and age, ICU admissions and days in the ICU. Full recovery was seen at follow-up CT in 31% of patients (median 68,5 days between acute and follow-up imaging).

Conclusion Patients with severe COVID-19 have more pronounced lung involvement on CT than patients with milder disease during the acute phase and follow-up. Older patients and males are at greater risk of acute and persistent COVID-19 related lung changes.