The Value of Digital DR Bedside Chest Radiography and Chest CT Scanning in the Diagnosis of Severe Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia

Objective: To investigate the applicability of DR Bedside chest radiography and chest computed tomography (CT) scanning for the imaging and clinical diagnosis of severe novel coronavirus pneumonia. Methods: Imaging and clinical data of 43 patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia who were admitted to Beijing Shijitan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from December 10, 2022 to January 10, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Joint diagnoses by multidisciplinary experts according to the clinical and laboratory diagnosis criteria confirmed that all the 43 enrolled patients were severely infected with novel coronavirus pneumonia. All 43 patients underwent digital DR Bedside chest radiography; of these, 6 patients underwent chest CT scanning as they had relatively mild symptoms. The time interval for chest X-ray reexamination was 1~5 days, with 1~4 reexaminations. The chest CT scan review interval was 1~4 days, with 2 reviews. The imaging findings of chest radiography and chest CT scanning were observed and analyzed. Results: Among 43 patients with severe novel coronavirus pneumonia, 25 cases showed the first digital DR Bedside chest radiographs showing plaques and solid shadows in both lungs, 6 cases of pleural effusion in both lungs, 18 cases of unilateral lung exudation and solid shadows, 4 cases of unilateral pleural effusion, 7 cases of cardiac enlargement combined with pulmonary edema, and 2 cases of suspected pulmonary tumor mass shadows. There were multiple ground glass shadows in both lungs in 6 patients who underwent chest CT scanning. Spot shadows, grid shadows, thickened interlobular septum, and thickened pulmonary vessels and subbronchus were identified in the lesion area. Double lung spot density increased in the chest radiographs; the shadow area expanded in 5 cases and pleural effusion increased in 2 cases. Reexamination of chest CT images showed that 4 cases of increased ground-glass shadow transformed into irregular patchy high CT value shadow, 1 case of new atelectasis and 1 case of new pleural effusion. Conclusion: Digital DR Bedside chest radiography and chest CT scanning are the primary imaging methods for the diagnosis of novel coronavirus pneumonia. In particular, the former plays an important auxiliary diagnostic role when chest CT scan cannot be performed in patients with severe disease, and can greatly assist in the later review and clinical evaluation of the disease during active treatment.