Role of computed tomography in COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a rapid worldwide pandemic. While COVID-19 primarily manifests as an interstitial pneumonia and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, severe involvement of other organs has been documented. In this article, we will review the role of non-contrast chest computed tomography in the diagnosis, follow-up and prognosis of patients affected by COVID-19 pneumonia with a detailed description of the imaging findings that may be encountered. Given that patients with COVID-19 may also suffer from coagulopathy, we will discuss the role of CT pulmonary angiography in the detection of acute pulmonary embolism. Finally, we will describe more advanced applications of CT in the differential diagnosis of myocardial injury with an emphasis on ruling out acute coronary syndrome and myocarditis.

Automated summary

COVID-19 has rapidly spread worldwide, primarily causing pneumonia and respiratory distress, but also affecting other organs. This article discusses the role of non-contrast chest CT in diagnosis, follow-up, and prognosis, as well as its application in detecting acute pulmonary embolism and differential diagnosis of myocardial injury.