The role of chest radiography in confirming covid-19 pneumonia
Joanne Cleverley, J V Piper, Melvyn Jones
Abstract
A normal chest radiograph does not exclude covid-19 pneumonia No single feature of covid-19 pneumonia on a chest radiograph is specific or diagnostic, but a combination of multifocal peripheral lung changes of ground glass opacity and/or consolidation, which are most commonly bilateral, may be present Diagnosis might be complicated as covid-19 pneumonia may or may not be visible on chest radiograph; consider other causes for patients' respiratory symptoms Covid-19 is likely to remain an important differential diagnosis for the foreseeable future in anyone presenting to hospital with a flu-like illness, lymphopenia on full blood count, and/or a change in normal sense of smell (anosmia) or taste. 1 2
Topics & Concepts
Chest radiographMedicinePneumoniaRadiographyCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Intensive care medicineDifferential diagnosisViral pneumoniaAnosmiaAtypical pneumoniaRadiologyDiseaseInternal medicinePathologyInfectious disease (medical specialty)COVID-19 diagnosis using AICOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesUltrasound in Clinical Applications