Spectrum of CT findings in COVID 19 pneumonia– revisiting known and exploring Not-So- known findings

Coronavirus disease 2019 has hit the world’s population at an alarming rate both in terms of human lives and world’s economy. Given the new variants of the index virus being identified including BF.7, BA2.3.20 and more; which may present with novel and different imaging features and given the pivotal role of CT in imaging COVID-19 pneumonia, it is of utmost importance to be familiar with typical -known CT imaging findings that overlap with atypical less- known findings of this masquerading disease.

To study various CT imaging findings of COVID-19 pneumonia in a hilly state of North India.

CT Chest of symptomatic RT-PCR positive cases were done within one month of onset of symptoms during the second wave of COVID-19 Pandemic. A retrospective study was then done to see the spectrum of imaging findings.

A total of 372 cases were studied. The CT chest imaging features were normal in 45 cases. The rest of 327 cases showed predominant CT imaging features like ground glass opacification with consolidation followed by mixed attenuation pattern. The less common findings were lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, reverse halo sign, fungal balls, lung cysts, tree in bud pattern and acute pulmonary thromboembolism.

Apart from the well- known CT imaging findings, the less known findings when in isolation may suggest an alternate diagnosis, however, COVID 19 pneumonia cannot be excluded from differentials with confidence.