Do submillisievert-chest CT protocols impact diagnostic quality in suspected COVID-19 patients?

Background: During the ongoing global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there is a high demand for quick and reliable methods for early identification of infected patients. Due to its widespread availability, chest-CT is commonly used to detect early pulmonary manifestations and for follow-ups.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze image quality and reproducibility of readings of scans using low-dose chest CT protocols in patients suspected of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Improving CT accuracy in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in a hospital setting.

Objective: This study aimed to improve the accuracy of CT for detection of COVID-19-associated pneumonia and to identify patient subgroups who might benefit most from CT imaging.

Methods: A total of 269 patients who underwent CT for suspected COVID-19 were included in this retrospective analysis. COVID-19 was confirmed by reverse-transcription-polymerase-chain-reaction.

Is lung density associated with severity of COVID-19?

Purpose: Emphysema and chronic obstructive lung disease were previously identified as major risk factors for severe disease progression in COVID-19. Computed tomography (CT)-based lung-density analysis offers a fast, reliable, and quantitative assessment of lung density. Therefore, we aimed to assess the benefit of CT-based lung density measurements to predict possible severe disease progression in COVID-19.

Submillisievert chest CT in patients with COVID-19 - experiences of a German Level-I center.

Purpose: Computed tomography (CT) is used for initial diagnosis and therapy monitoring of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As patients of all ages are affected, radiation dose is a concern. While follow-up CT examinations lead to high cumulative radiation doses, the ALARA principle states that the applied dose should be as low as possible while maintaining adequate image quality.

The role of visceral adiposity in the severity of COVID-19: Highlights from a unicenter cross-sectional pilot study in Germany.

Background And Aims: Overall obesity has recently been established as an independent risk factor for critical illness in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The role of fat distribution and especially that of visceral fat, which is often associated with metabolic syndrome, remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims at investigating the association between fat distribution and COVID-19 severity.