Aim of the work This study aimed to detect the characteristic imaging signs of COVID-19 infection that appeared in the high resolution pulmonary CT of COVID-19 positive patients.
Methods 150 patients included in this study (mean age 43 years, 48% female and 52% male). All included individuals were positive for COVID-19 virus. High resolution pulmonary CT were done for all patients included in the study.
Results: Pulmonary CT was abnormal in 126 patients (84%). Bilateral lung affection was in 105 patients (70%). 14 % had single lobar affection and 70 % had multi-lobar affection. The commonest affected lung lobes were the lower lung lobes (76% and 70% for right and left lung respectively). Posterior lung segment (72%) were affected more than anterior lung segments (42%). Peripheral lung zone was the most affected part by COVID 19 infection. The commonest CT pattern for COVID-19 was ground glass opacities (44%), and mixed pattern of both consolidative and ground glass opacities (34%). As regard other pulmonary and extra pulmonary signs (peri-bronchovascular thickening, crazy paving pattern, air bronchogram sign, reversed halo sign and pleural thickening were seen in 68%, 64%, 32%, 30% and 8% respectively.
Conclusion: The characteristic pulmonary imaging signs of COVID- 19 infection in HRCT were bilateral, multiple, peripheral ground glass with or without consolidation patches in basal and posterior pulmonary predominance in association with peri-bronchovascular thickening, crazy paving pattern, air bronchogram or reversed halo sign without any extra- pulmonary affection except for some irregular pleural thickening.