TY - JOUR AU - Aniqua Saleem , Lubna Meraj , Hira Saleem , Sharjeel Sarfraz Ahmed Sheikh , Sidra Hamid ,Huzaifa Saleem, PY - 2021/08/31 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - HRCT Spectrum in Initially COVID-19 RT-PCR Negative Patients JF - Journal of Rawalpindi Medical College JA - JRMC VL - 25 IS - 1 SE - Articles DO - 10.37939/jrmc.v25i1.1563 UR - https://journalrmc.com/index.php/JRMC/article/view/1563 SP - AB - <p><strong>Objective: </strong>To analyze radiological spectrum of HRCT in COVID-19 patients, clinically symptomatic but initially having negative RT-PCR.</p><p><strong>Study Design: </strong>Prospective cross sectional descriptive study.</p><p><strong>Place and Duration of Study:</strong> Radiology and Medicine Department, DHQ Hospital Rawalpindi, from June to November 2020</p><p><strong>Methodology:</strong> The study included 90 patients presenting with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 but with negative RT-PCR. All patients underwent chest computed tomography (CT). Patients with positive COVID-19 RT-PCR test or serology on subsequent repeat test were included in the study. Patients having non COVID-19 HRCT features with negative RT-PCR were excluded from the study.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Out of 90 symptomatic, RT-PCR negative patients, 7 had normal chest CT. According to BSTI classification, 50 patients showed classic, 11 had probable and 22 had indeterminate features. Despite supportive clinical and CT features, 17 (18.89%) patients had negative RT-PCR tests on subsequent testing. Unilateral changes were in 8 (8.9%) and bilateral in 75 (83.3%). Most common finding was mixed pattern of peripherally distributed GGN and bronchocentric nodules in 37 (41.1%) patients. Consolidations were in 19 (21.1%), pure ground glass haze in 13 (14.4%), crazy paving in 4 (4.4%), fuzzy bands and arcades in 7 (7.8%), and subtle gravitational GGH in 3 (3.3%) patients. CT-SS classified 69 (76.7%) patients as mild, 10 (11.1%) as moderate and 4 (4.4%) as severe disease.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> HRCT with CTSS is an important tool for diagnosing and prognosticating COVID-19 infection despite negative RT-PCR, timely identifying and isolating COVID-19 cohorts preventing cross infection and also aiding in prompt symptomatic management.</p> ER -