The efficiency of HRCT for Assessing Severity in COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic's impact resulted in countless deaths. In addition to RT-PCR, the HRCT technique is gaining popularity for determining severity. The primary aim of the research is to determine the accuracy of HRCT in determining the severity of cvoid-19 patients. This crosssectional study was carried out at a tertiary medical hospital from September 2020 to October 2021. A total of 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 pneumonia were admitted to hospitals and underwent HRCT chest included in the study. In the research, 56% of patients were between the ages of 20 and 40, 14% of patients were under the age of 20, and only 30% of patients were above the age of 40. About 35% of the patients had a history of smoking, 55% had diabetes, and 40% had HTN status. Thirty percent developed a cough and fever, followed by twenty percent who had only a cough, twenty-five percent who had a cough, fever, and body ache, and fifteen percent who had respiratory symptoms.All five lobes of the lungs were involved in 96% of the cases, with the right lower lobe being involved in 91% of the cases and the right middle lobe being the least frequent location of involvement. Additionally, 31%, or the majority of patients, had a total severity score ranging from 1 to 5. Among others, the sequential distribution of total severity scores ranges from 6 to 10 (24 %), 11 to 15 (22 %), 16 to 20 (17%), and 0 (4%). In terms of total percentage of lung involvement, the highest number of patients (30%) was found in the 1-25 percent range, while the highest proportion of lung involvement (76–100 percent) was found in (18 percent ). For COVID-19 patients, an HRCT scan of the chest is an excellent diagnostic and therapeutic tool for COVID19 patients. It is an important predictor of future outcomes. When RT-PCR results are inconclusive, HRCT may be a viable option in symptomatic individuals. It is vital for radiologists and physicians to be familiar with the varied CT presentations. It will assist in the care of the patient.