The Role of Imaging in the Management of Suspected or Known COVID-19 Pneumonia. A Multidisciplinary Perspective

Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2020 Nov;17(11):1358-1365. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202006-600FR.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an illness caused by a novel coronavirus that has rapidly escalated into a global pandemic leading to an urgent medical effort to better characterize this disease biologically, clinically, and by imaging. In this review, we present the current approach to imaging of COVID-19 pneumonia. We focus on the appropriate use of thoracic imaging modalities to guide clinical management. We also describe radiologic findings that are considered typical, atypical, and generally not compatible with COVID-19. Furthermore, we review imaging examples of COVID-19 imaging mimics, such as organizing pneumonia, eosinophilic pneumonia, and other viral infections.

Keywords: COVID-19; chest radiography; computed tomography; coronavirus; imaging.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnostic imaging*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods*
  • Diagnostic Imaging / trends
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnostic imaging*
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Ultrasonography