A WINDOW TO COVID-19: TEN TYPICAL SIGNS SEEN IN COVID-19 PNEUMONIA ON LUNG WINDOW

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) plays a key role in the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 pneumonia. Although many CT ndings in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported, they vary according to the stage of the disease, disease severity, and associated co- morbidities of patients. The typical appearance of COVID-19 pneumonia is bilateral peripheral, basal, patchy areas of ground glass opacication which later progress to consolidation. Black bronchus sign, air bronchogram sign, halo sign, and crazy paving are commonly seen in COVID-19 pneumonia, however, these are non-specic signs. It is essential to look out for useful typical and specic signs observed in COVID-19 which may help differentiate it from other viral pneumonia. We describe some specic signs such as vacuolar sign, pulmonary target sign, parallel pleura sign, vascular enlargement sign, subpleural transparent line, spider-web sign, and pleura retraction sign seen in the disease process along with few of the complicating signs to look out on thoracic CT of such patients in this article. Also, a typical sign seen in pulmonary mucormycosis, a secondary infection seen in rising numbers in COVID-19 patients recently, is discussed. Such signs would make CT chest a good screening tool in symptomatic patients as it is economical and easily available.