ABSTRACT

Aim: To detect the early HRCT chest findings and clinical course in patients diagnosed as COVID-19 positive but are asymptomatic.

Study design: A prospective study.

Setting: All the confirmed COVID-19 patients encountered at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore corona desk, from 1st April 2020 to 30th April 2020 were studied in this survey.

Methods: In our survey, we selected those asymptomatic patients who had positive contact history, diagnosed as COVID-19 positive by RT-PCR. Characteristic CT findings of each enrolled patient were collected and then interpreted.

Results: 53 asymptomatic exposed patients with COVID-19 lung disease were enrolled and underwent HRCT Chest. All patients who had a contact history of COVID-19 patients were tested positive by RT-PCR. These patients had a history of contact with COVID-19 patients. 58.49% of patients had normal HRCT Chest while 41.5% patients had abnormal CT findings. The predominant feature on HRCT Chest was GGO in (100%) with peripheral distribution (72.2%), diffuse (27.27%), unilateral distribution (45.4%), and bilateral distribution (54.5%). After a short-term follow-up, 20 patients (37.7%) developed symptoms mainly including fever, SOB, cough, and lethargy. Follow-up HRCT showed progression of disease in (9.09%) patients. Conclusion: HRCT chest of patients having COVID-19 pneumonia that are asymptomatic has specific characteristics. As asymptomatic patients are silent carriers and some patients can worsen in a very short period. It is important to consider the importance of the detection and surveillance regarding asymptomatic patients having COVID-19. HRCT chest also has great value in screening and diagnosing patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, specifically in those who have a high suspicion, asymptomatic patients with negative PCR.

Keywords: COVID-19, HRCT Chest, GGO (Ground glass opacity).