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?:abstract
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CLINICAL ISSUE: Since its emergence in late 2019, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, termed COVID-19, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization Reference standard for the diagnosis of COVID-19 is a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test While the RT-PCR shows a high specificity, its sensitivity depends on the duration of symptoms, viral load, quality of the sample, and the assay used STANDARD RADIOLOGICAL METHODS: Chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) of the chest are the imaging modalities primarily used for assessment of the lung manifestations, extent, and complications of COVID-19 pneumonia PERFORMANCE: Sensitivity and specificity of chest radiography is low While sensitivity of CT for detecting COVID-19 pneumonia is high-averaging around 90%-its specificity is low-between 25 and 33% PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS: Indications for imaging in patients with suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 infection should be carefully considered to minimize the risk of infection for medical personnel and other patients Imaging, particularly CT, can assess disease extent, complications, and differential diagnoses COVID-19 pneumonia typically presents with bilateral, subpleural areas of ground glass opacifications with or without consolidations During the course of the disease features resembling organizing pneumonia can occur Follow-up examinations after recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia should focus on fibrotic changes of the lung parenchyma
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