Thoracic Radiological Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients at the Time of Presentation: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a type of pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 pneumonia has characteristic radiological features. Recent evidence indicates usefulness of chest X-ray and lung ultrasound (LUS) in detecting COVID-19 pneumonia. Materials and methods: In this prospective observational study, chest X-ray and LUS features of 50 adults with COVID-19 pneumonia at the time of presentation were described. Results: Chest X-ray findings were present in 96% of patients, whereas all patients have ultrasound finding. Proportion (95% CI) of patients having bilateral opacities in chest X-ray was 96% (86.5-98.9%), ground glass opacity 74% (60.5-84.1%), and consolidation 50% (36.7-63.4%). In LUS, shred sign and thickened pleura was present in all patients recruited in this study. Air bronchogram was present in at least one area in 80% of all patients and B-lines score of more than 2 was present in at least one lung area in 84% patients. Number of lung areas with 'shred sign"were higher in hypoxemic (p= 0.005) and tachypnoeic (p = 0.006) patients and pleura line abnormalities were present in more lung areas in hypoxemic patients (p = 0.03). Conclusion: According to our study, LUS is a useful tool not only in diagnosing, but it also correlates with requirement of respiratory support in COVID-19 patients.