Chest X-ray in the emergency department during COVID-19 pandemic descending phase in Italy: correlation with patients’ outcome

• DOI: 10.1007/s11547-020-01327-3
• Publication Date: 2021-01-04T14:03:47Z
• Authors: Chiara Moroni; Diletta Cozzi; Marco Albanesi; Edoardo Cavigli; Alessandra Bindi; Silvia Luvarà; Simone Busoni; Lorenzo Nicola Ma...; Stefano Grifoni; Peiman Nazerian; Vittorio Miele
• Keywords: Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Male; Adolescent; Chest Radiology; COVID-19; General Medicine; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Hospitalization; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Italy; Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging; Humans; Female; Radiography, Thoracic; Prospective Studies; Correlation of Data; Emergency Service, Hospital; Aged

The aims of our study are: (1) to estimate admission chest X-ray (CXR) accuracy during the descending phase pandemic; (2) identify specific CXR findings strictly associated with COVID-19 infection; and (3) correlate lung involvement patients' outcome. We prospectively evaluated 327 patients accessed institute Italian pandemic (April 2020). For each were searched ground glass opacification (GGO), consolidation (CO), reticular-nodular opacities (RNO), nodules, excavations, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, vascular congestion cardiac enlargement. alterations was defined predominance (upper or basal, focal diffuse, central peripheric, etc.). Then radiologists assessed whether CXRs suggestive not for infection. patients, a prognostic score applied correlated showed 83% specificity 60% sensitivity. GGO, CO, RNO diffuse basal prevalence good correlation diagnosis. A logistic regression analysis pointed out GGO distribution as independent predictors In study, fair others diagnosis; besides bibasal resulted in variables highly infection thus enabling signal clinicians radiologically suspect phase.