Chest CT manifestations in children with COVID-19 could be used for early identification

Objectives:
Could chest CT manifestations in children with COVID-19 be used for early identification and prompt intervention in the pediatric population?  

Study design:
This review article included 29 articles with 1,026 COVID-19 pediatric patients (0-18 years).

Results and conclusions:   
The investigators found over a third of pediatric patients with COVID-19 [35.7%, 95% CI = 27.5% to 44%] had normal chest CT scans and only 27.7% [95% CI = 19.9% to 35.6%] had bilateral lesions.

The investigators found the most typical pediatric chest CT findings of COVID-19 were ground-glass opacities (GGO) [37.2%, 95% CI = 29.3% to 45%] and the presence of consolidations or pneumonic infiltrates [22.3%, 95% CI = 17.8% to 26.9%].  

The investigators found the lung imaging findings in children with COVID-19 were overall less frequent and less severe than in adult patients.

The investigators found typical lung imaging features of viral respiratory infections in the pediatric population such as increased perihilar markings and hyperinflation were not reported in children with COVID-19.

The investigators concluded chest CT manifestations in children with COVID-19 could potentially be used for early identification and prompt intervention in the pediatric population.

Original title:
Pediatric Lung Imaging Features of Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by Nino G, Zember J, […], Linguraru MG.

Link:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32926572/

Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on coronavirus right here.