The unsynchronized changes of CT image and nucleic acid detection in COVID-19: reports the two cases from Gansu, China

Respir Res. 2020 Apr 22;21(1):96. doi: 10.1186/s12931-020-01363-7.

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak started in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The CT image is used to assess the disease progress, whereas the continued two times of negative results from SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection had been considered as a criterion for ending antiviral treatment. We compared the two COVID-19 cases with similar backgrounds and CT image repeated intervals under treatment. Our report highlighted the unsynchronized expression in the changes of CT image and nucleic acid detection in COVID-19, and lasting positive nucleic acid test result in patients recovered from pneumonia. It may be contributed to recognize the disease and improve prevention.

Keywords: COVID-19; CT image; Nucleic acid detection; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • China
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung / virology
  • Male
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy
  • RNA, Viral / isolation & purification*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • RNA, Viral