Interpretation of chest radiography in patients with known or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection: what we learnt from comparison with computed tomography

• DOI: 10.1007/s10140-022-02105-6
• Publication Date: 2022-11-27T01:30:53Z
• Authors: Nicola Flor; Stefano Fusco; Ivana Blazic; Marcelo Sanchez; Ella Annabelle Ka...
• Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; COVID-19 Testing; 0302 clinical medicine; Pictorial Essay; Humans; Radiography, Thoracic; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Lung; Retrospective Studies

Differently from computed tomography (CT), well-defined terminology for chest radiography (CXR) findings and standardized reporting in the setting of known or suspected COVID-19 are still lacking. We propose a revision of CXR major imaging findings in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia derived from the comparison of CXR and CT, suggesting a precise and standardized terminology for CXR reporting. This description will consider asymptomatic patients, symptomatic patients, and patients with SARS-CoV-2-related pulmonary complications. We suggest using terms such as ground-glass opacities, consolidation, and reticular pattern for the most common findings, and characteristic chest radiographic pattern in presence of one or more of the above-mentioned findings with peripheral and mid-to-lower lung zone distribution.