3D tomographic reconstruction of two covid-19 cases with different rt-pcr results and their clinical picture: a comparative case study

This study compared CT images by 3D processing two RT-PCR negative and positive patients respectively, to investigate the contribution of CT scans in the diagnosis of COVID-19. Two patients were blindly selected and paired for sex, age, outcome and hospitalization time, in addition to the presence of RT-PCR and CT scans of the chest on admission. For the creation of the 3D model, the free software 3D Slicer was used, based on images in the DICOM format. The image patterns identified in the chest CT scans of both patients are similar to the findings described in the literature, namely multiple ground-glass opacities (GGO), lobular, bilateral with peripheral distribution, these being typical characteristics of CT scans resulting from viral pneumonia, properties which, in the context of the pandemic, are associated with COVID-19. The results obtained do not allow to affirm that there is a direct relationship between the affected pulmonary regions and their extension, and the result of the RT-PCR, however, point to the need of triangulating sources of information to support the diagnosis of this yet fully known syndrome.