Chest CT Findings after Mild COVID-19 Do Not Explain Persisting Respiratory Symptoms: An Explanatory Study

Abstract

(1) Background: Lung tissue involvement is frequently observed in acute COVID-19. However, it is unclear whether CT findings at follow-up are associated with persisting respiratory symptoms after initial mild or moderate infection. (2) Methods: Chest CTs of patients with persisting respiratory symptoms referred to the post-COVID-19 outpatient clinic were reassessed for parenchymal changes, and their potential association was evaluated. (3) Results: A total of 53 patients (31 female) with a mean (SD) age of 46 (13) years were included, of whom 89% had mild COVID-19. Median (quartiles) time from infection to CT was 139 (86, 189) days. Respiratory symptoms were dyspnea (79%), cough (42%), and thoracic pain (64%). Furthermore, 30 of 53 CTs showed very discrete and two CTs showed medium parenchymal abnormalities. No severe findings were observed. Mosaic attenuation (40%), ground glass opacity (2%), and fibrotic-like changes (25%) were recorded. No evidence for an association between persisting respiratory symptoms and chest CT findings was found. (4) Conclusions: More than half of the patients with initially mild or moderate infection showed findings on chest CT at follow-up. Respiratory symptoms, however, were not related to any chest CT finding. We, therefore, do not suggest routine chest CT follow-up in this patient group if no other indications are given.

Keywords

• post-COVID-19
• chest CT
• respiratory symptoms