Abstract
Objectives: To present the temporal changes of CT manifestations in COVID-19 patients from a single fangcang shelter hospital and to facilitate the understanding of the disease course. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 98 patients (males: females, 43:55, mean year, 49±12 years) with confirmed COVID-19 at Jianghan fangcang shelter hospital admitted between Feb 05, 2020, and Feb 09, 2020, who had initial chest CTs at our hospital. Radiographic features and CT scores were analyzed. Results: A total of 267 CT scans of 98 patients were evaluated. Our study showed a high median total CT score of 7 within the first week from symptom onset, peaked in the 2(nd) week at 10, followed by persistently high levels of CT score with 9.5, 7 and 7 for the week 3, 4, and >4, respectively, and a prolonged median disease course (30 days, the median interval between the onset of initial symptoms and discharge). Ground-glass opacity (GGO) (58%, 41/71) was the earliest and most frequent finding in week 1. Consolidation (26%, 14/53) and mixed pattern (40%, 21/53) were predominant patterns in 2(nd) week. GGO and reticular were the main patterns of later phase CT scans in patients with relatively advanced diseases who had longer illness duration (≥4 weeks). Among the 94 CT abnormalities obtained within 3 days from the twice RT-PCR test turned negative, the mixed pattern was mainly presented in patients with disease duration of 2-3 weeks, for GGO and reticular were common during the whole course. Conclusion: Discharged patients from fangcang shelter hospital demonstrated a high extent of lung abnormalities on CT within the first week from symptom onset, peaked at 2(nd) week, followed by persistence of high levels and a prolonged median disease course. GGO was the predominant pattern in week 1, consolidation and mixed pattern in 2(nd) week, whereas GGO and reticular patterns in later stages (≥4 weeks).