Clinical and radiological characteristics in patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated pneumonia. A descriptive study in a secondary care center.

Introduction: Real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Chest computed tomography (CCT), as a diagnostic complement, classifies tomographic findings according to the COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS).

Objective: To determine CCT sensitivity and specificity for COVID-19 diagnosis.

Methods: We reviewed RT-PCR results, as well as their respective CCTs. All CCTs were classified according to CO-RADS. CCT sensitivity and specificity were evaluated using the RT-PCR result that was closest to that of CCT as reference.

Results: We included 412 patients, out of whom 277 were males (46-70 years) and 130 were females (45-71 years); with 181 negative and 231 positive tests, a sensitivity of 92.15% and specificity of 79.32% were obtained. Mortality increased after six hospitalization days, in males and in CO-RADS 4, 5 and 6 in comparison with CO-RADS 1, 2 and 3.

Conclusions: Early diagnosis plays a decisive role in the prognosis of SARS-CoV-2-associated pneumonia. Although RT-PCR is current gold standard, false negatives are common; for this reason, CCT helps to confirm suspected cases, even at early stages. This imaging technique is an accessible and fundamental study for classification, diagnosis and prognosis.