COVID-19 Pneumonia: the Great Radiological Mimicker
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Duzgun et al. Insights Imaging (2020) 11:118 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-020-00933-z Insights into Imaging EDUCATIONAL REVIEW Open Access COVID-19 pneumonia: the great radiological mimicker Selin Ardali Duzgun* , Gamze Durhan, Figen Basaran Demirkazik, Meltem Gulsun Akpinar and Orhan Macit Ariyurek Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly spread worldwide since December 2019. Although the reference diagnostic test is a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), chest-computed tomography (CT) has been frequently used in diagnosis because of the low sensitivity rates of RT-PCR. CT fndings of COVID-19 are well described in the literature and include predominantly peripheral, bilateral ground-glass opacities (GGOs), combination of GGOs with consolida- tions, and/or septal thickening creating a “crazy-paving” pattern. Longitudinal changes of typical CT fndings and less reported fndings (air bronchograms, CT halo sign, and reverse halo sign) may mimic a wide range of lung patholo- gies radiologically. Moreover, accompanying and underlying lung abnormalities may interfere with the CT fndings of COVID-19 pneumonia. The diseases that COVID-19 pneumonia may mimic can be broadly classifed as infectious or non-infectious diseases (pulmonary edema, hemorrhage, neoplasms, organizing pneumonia, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, sarcoidosis, pulmonary infarction, interstitial lung diseases, and aspiration pneumonia). We summarize the imaging fndings of COVID-19 and the aforementioned lung pathologies that COVID-19 pneumonia may mimic. We also discuss the features that may aid in the diferential diagnosis, as the disease continues to spread and will be one of our main diferential diagnoses some time more. Keywords: COVID-19, Pneumonia, Mimicker, Chest CT, Diferential diagnoses Introduction sampling and transportation limitations [4–6]. Because Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- of these low sensitivity rates and the need for rapid diag- CoV-2), a novel coronavirus, was found to be associated nosis, non-contrast chest-computed tomography (CT) with a pneumonia outbreak frstly reported in Wuhan, has been frequently used in the current pandemic con- China, in December 2019 [1, 2]. Te disease subsequently dition. Also, several cases with initial negative RT-PCR called Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused results are reported to have positive chest CT fndings a lot of cases worldwide and was declared as a pandemic [4]. Although recent studies have reported the high sen- by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, sitivity of chest CT for diagnosis with RT-PCR as a ref- 2020 [3]. erence, the specifcity of CT is relatively low. In a recent Te reference diagnostic test for COVID-19 pneumo- meta-analysis, chest CT had a pooled sensitivity of 94% nia is real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain and a specifcity of 37% [4, 5, 7]. Tis may be explained by reaction (RT-PCR). Te specifcity of RT-PCR is approxi- the fact that besides previously reported typical appear- mately 95%, but the sensitivity of RT-PCR at the ini- ance, COVID-19 has various CT fndings, and some tial presentation is 60–71% because of kit performance, chest CT fndings of COVID-19 may closely resemble the imaging fndings of some other pathologies presenting *Correspondence: [email protected] with airspace disease. Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi, In this pictorial review, CT fndings of COVID- Hacettepe University, 06100 Sıhhiye, Ankara, Turkey 19 pneumonia and imaging features of COVID-19 © The Author(s) 2020. 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Insights Imaging (2020) 11:118 Page 2 of 15 pneumonia that may mimic other infectious and non- been previously described in fungal infections and tuber- infectious diseases will be summarized. culosis [15–17]. Te diagnostic association of CT fndings for diferent CT fndings of COVID‑19 pneumonia infectious diseases is summarized in Table 1. Typical CT fndings of COVID-19 pneumonia are pre- dominantly peripheral, bilateral ground-glass opacities (GGOs), consolidations, combination of GGOs with con- Viral pneumonia solidations, and GGOs superimposed with interlobular/ Chest CT fndings of a wide range of viruses have been intralobular septal thickening creating a “crazy-paving” previously described, such as infuenza virus, parain- pattern and subpleural linear opacities. Air broncho- fuenza virus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus grams, vascular enlargement, CT halo sign, and reverse (RSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), human metapneumovi- halo sign are also reported. Cavitation, pleural or pericar- rus (HMPV), and other coronaviruses. Viral pneumonia dial efusion, and lymphadenopathy are rarely observed commonly manifests as interstitial pneumonia with non- [8–11]. specifc imaging fndings, such as GGOs, patchy consoli- Findings vary and usually progress during the course of dations, peribronchovascular thickening, centrilobular the disease. In the early phase, the predominant fnding nodular opacities, a “tree-in-bud” pattern, and interlobu- is unilateral or bilateral small peripheral GGOs. While lar septal thickening [18, 19] (Fig. 2). Unlike in other viral the size and number of GGOs and the number of afected pneumonia, centrilobular nodular opacities are not com- lobes increase, crazy-paving pattern and consolidations mon in COVID-19 pneumonia. appear as the disease progresses. Consolidations become Some typical fndings of COVID-19 pneumonia, such denser at the peak stage (Fig. 1). Approximately after as the subpleural distribution of opacities and a crazy- 2 weeks, opacities start to resolve gradually, and residual paving pattern, were also described for pneumonia subpleural curvilinear lines, fbrous stripes, and GGOs caused by other coronaviruses, severe acute respiratory may be seen [9, 12, 13]. syndrome virus (SARS), and middle east respiratory syn- drome virus (MERS), that caused outbreaks previously Infectious causes [20–22]. Te absence of cavitation, pleural efusion, and Diferentiation of COVID-19 pneumonia from other lymphadenopathy are common in both COVID-19 pneu- causes of infection is sometimes challenging, especially monia and SARS [20]. when it comes to viral pneumonia and other atypical pneumonia. Bai et al. reported some fndings in favor of COVID-19 pneumonia rather than non-COVID pneu- Bacterial pneumonia monia, such as the presence of GGOs, peripheral dis- Although viral and bacterial pneumonia have overlap- tribution, reverse halo sign, and vascular enlargement. ping imaging fndings, the latter generally causes lobar/ Pleural efusion and thickening, lymphadenopathy, and segmental pneumonia or bronchopneumonia and focal central distribution are less likely to be seen in COVID- or multifocal consolidations. Less commonly, GGOs may 19 pneumonia [14]. By contrast, some typical fndings be seen. Peribronchial thickening, centrilobular nodular described for COVID-19 pneumonia can be seen in non- opacities, and pleural efusion are much more frequent in COVID pneumonia or other pathologies. For example, bacterial pneumonia than in COVID-19 pneumonia [18, both the reverse halo sign and CT halo sign have also 23] (Fig. 2). Fig. 1 CT fndings of COVID-19 pneumonia. a The frst CT scan obtained on illness day 4 revealed patchy GGOs in both the lungs. b On day 8, the number and size of GGOs increased. c Consolidations were the dominant CT fnding on day 14 Duzgun et al. Insights Imaging (2020) 11:118 Page 3 of 15 Table 1 CT fndings of COVID‑19 pneumonia and other infectious diseases CT fnding COVID-19 Non-COVID viral Bacterial pneumonia PJP Fungal pneumonia pneumonia pneumonia GGO +++ ++ + +++ + Consolidation 0 ++ ++ +++ + Centrilobular nodular opacities −−− ++ ++ − + Crazy-paving ++ ++ + ++ − Lesion distribution Peripheral 0 +++ ++ + + Lower zone 0 +++ ++ + + Rounded morphology +++ + + −− ++ Cavitation −−− − + − ++ Pleural efusion 0 −− + ++ + Lymphadenopathy 0 −− + ++ + The most common fndings of aforementioned disease groups are presented. Signs indicate the strength of relation between the CT fnding and diagnosis; in a range of ( ) and ( ); ( ) indicating the strongest association +++ −−− +++ Fig. 2 Other infectious diseases that COVID-19 pneumonia may mimic. a Axial CT image shows a consolidation with rounded morphology in the right lower lobe. Hemophilus infuenza was detected in the respiratory panel. b Similar round consolidation is observed in the right upper lobe. The patient was tested positive on RT-PCR for COVID-19 pneumonia. The respiratory panel was negative for other causes. c Axial CT image shows GGOs with associated