Chest CT scan patterns of COVID-19 Pneumonia at Girum Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly spreading infection which was declared as a pandemic by the World  Health Organization, in March 2020. The standard for diagnosis of COVID-19 is reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)  test. According to our literature search, in our country there is a considerable knowledge gap regarding the Chest CT imaging features of  COVID- 19 and factors associated with it, to date, as the disease is a new occurrence in time and is yet to play out.

Objectives: The main aim of this study is to evaluate the Chest CT scan features of COVID19 at Girum Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,  from June 2020 to February 2021.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used secondary data of all patients with confirmed COVID-19 (RT-  PCR Positive) who had Chest CT imaging in Girum Hospital from June 2020 to February 2021. Data collection template was used to collect  data elements from the respective Chest CT images and Electronic Medical Records of patients. Data was entered in to EPI Info version 7,  transferred to SPSS version 26, and descriptive methods were used to determine patterns of findings and analytic methods were used to  find associations between variables.

Results: A total of 162 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were evaluated. The commonest duration  in days between symptom onset and Chest CT imaging was 5-8 days in 77(47.5%) patients. One or more Comorbid illnesses were present  in 68(42.0%) patients. The most common Chest CT imaging finding seen in 106 (65.4%) patients was a widespread ground-glass opacity being bilateral and peripheral, and especially involving the lower lobes.

Conclusion: The observed features of COVID-19 on chest CT  imaging show similarities to other viral infections’ chest CT patterns. Unknown aspects need to be further researched.