Abstract
Context: Paucity of literature of portable CXR findings in COVID-19. Aims: Evaluate radiographic findings in COVID-19 patients and calculate sensitivity of
radiographs with RT-PCR as gold standard. Subjects and Methods: Total 116 COVID-19 patients underwent portable CXR between April-June, 2020. Two
radiologists reviewed radiographs with respect to laterality, craniocaudal, mediolateral
distribution, shape, density, unifocality/multifocality and number of lung zones.
Sensitivity of radiography was calculated with RT-PCR as gold standard. Statistical Analysis Used: IBM SPSS Statistics Subscription software (IBM, New York, USA). Results: Many patients 67.2% (78/116) were asymptomatic. Cough (21.5%, 25/116) and fever
(17.6%, 20/116) were the most frequent symptoms. 36.2% (42/116) patients revealed
COVID-19 pneumonia-like abnormalities on CXR. Sensitivity of CXR with RT-PCR as gold
standard was 36.2% (CI: Confidence interval = 27.46% - 44.95%). More patients in symptomatic
group (68.4%, 26/38) had abnormal CXR compared to asymptomatic group (20.5%, 16/78)
[P < 0.0001]. Radiographs revealed both unilateral (57.1%, 24/42), bilateral (42.8%,
18/42), GGO (80.9%, 34/42), or consolidation (11/42, 26.1%) in a middle (57.1%, 24/42),
lower zone (83.3%, 35/42) and peripheral distribution (78.5%, 33/42). Lesions were
commonly patchy (88%, 37/42) and multifocal (59.5%, 25/42). Majority had single (40.4%,
17/42) or two zone (35.7%, 15/42) involvement. Conclusions: Significant number of COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic. Over 1/3rd of patients showed radiographic abnormalities. Symptomatic patients were more likely
to show radiographic findings than asymptomatic patients. If radiographs identify
pneumonia in appropriate clinical setting, CT can be avoided. Common radiographic
abnormalities among COVID 19 patients were bilateral/unilateral, patchy, multifocal,
ground glass opacity or consolidation in peripheral and middle/lower zone distribution.
Keywords
COVID-19 - portable chest radiograph - pneumonia
