Radiation dose reduction considerations and imaging patterns of ground glass opacities in coronavirus: risk of over exposure in computed tomography

Abstract

This article aims to summarize the available data on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SAR-CoV-2) imaging patterns as well as reducing radiation dose exposure in chest computed tomography (CT) protocols. First, the general aspects of radiation dose in CT and radiation risk are discussed, followed by the effect of changing parameters on image quality. This article attempts to highlight some of the common chest CT signs that radiologists and emergency physicians are likely to encounter. With the increasing trend of using chest CT scans as an imaging tool to diagnose and monitor SAR-CoV-2, we emphasize that pattern recognition is the key, and this pictorial essay should serve as a guide to help establish correct diagnosis coupled with correct scanner parameters to reduce radiation dose without affecting imaging quality in this tragic pandemic the world is facing. © 2020, Italian Society of Medical Radiology.