Chest CT findings and their correlation with RT-PCR testing in pediatric COVID-19 patients

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: To compare the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results and chest computerized tomography (CT) findings in pediatric patients with a pre-diagnosis of COVID-19. METHODS: The thorax CT examinations and RT-PCR test results were retrospectively evaluated in 177 children. According to the test results, the patients were divided into two groups as ‘COVID-19-positive' and ‘COVID-19-negative'. RESULTS: In the COVID-19-positive group, 65.71% of the patients with a family history of COVID-19 (p<0.01). In the same group, 50.00% of patients with normal CT findings were older than 16 years (p<0.01), and single-lobe involvement was more common (54.54%, p<0.01). The most observed CT finding was consolidation with ground-glass opacities (GGO) in both groups. Fibrotic bands (51.46%, p<0.01), reticular pattern (34.95%, p<0.01), atelectasis (9.71%, p<0.01), mosaic perfusion (26.21%, p<0.01), and pleural effusion (19.42%, p<0.01) were mostly seen in the COVID-19-negative group. In patients with underlying diseases, the sensitivity values were calculated as 0.441 for CT and 0.863 for the RT-PCR test. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In patients with a family history of COVID-19, the chest CT showed focal GGO with or without consolidation as the most common finding. If CT findings diffuse and severe, the patient most likely does not have COVID-19. The RT-PCR test results are more reliable than CT in children with underlying diseases.

Keywords

• computerized tomography
• covid-19 pneumonia
• pediatrics
• reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test.