Imaging data of Covid-19 lung infections. A retrospective analysis

This study has a retrospective character and summarizes the imaging and clinical- laboratory data of patients examined at IDC Prima, from the first cases in Kosovo until the end of July.We have analysed and compared the imaging data from our patients with those of the publications of major world institutions, in particular with the European national imaging associations within the ESR, through ongoing regular correspondence and exchange of experiences in this field. First andforemost, the Chinese and Italians sources, who presented studies regarding this problem, hitherto unknown to the world,immediately after the first wave of the epidemic. The vast majority of patients had similar imaging data as the ones in publications from the aforementioned countries; nonetheless, we also found some elements that did not match, such as the presence of thoracic lymph nodes. A total of 52 patients were examined in this study.Conclusions have also been drawn about some consequences or sequences such as the interstitial fibrosis that pass into chronicity and may remain for a long time (this remains to be seen in the future).Particular emphasis was also placed on pulmonary and cerebral thromboembolism. We have considered some patients who have tested positive, for whom we have not found pathological imaging changes, but also patients with negative test results while the imaging showed pathological findings. Ultimately, the imaging findings of Covid-19 with pulmonary implications are sufficient for diagnosis, even in the absence of a positive PCR test. This reflects an extremely high specificity of diagnostic imaging, especially the Computed Tomography