• Zafer Bağcı and Avni Merter Keçeli.
• Department of Pediatrics, Konya Education and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Konya, Turkey.
• Pediatr. Pulmonol. 2021 Jul 1; 56 (7): 1985-1991.

AimThis study aimed to compare chest computed tomography (CT) findings with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results in children with probable or definitive diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsIn this retrospective archive study, pediatric patients who were followed up in the hospital with a possible or definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 and who had chest CT at presentation were included. CT scan images of the patients were reinterpreted by a pediatric radiologist and compared with their RT-PCR test results.ResultsOf the total of 89 patients, 33 had negative and 56 had positive RT-PCR tests. The presence of pulmonary lesions and consolidation was statistically significantly higher in the RT-PCR negative group than in the RT-PCR positive group (p = 0.037 and 0.001, respectively). Lobe involvement of 0%-25% was higher in the RT-PCR positive group (p = 0.001), and lobe involvements of 25%-50% and 50%-75% were significantly higher in the RT-PCR negative group (p = 0.001 and 0.005, respectively). Central and perihilar involvement was found to be statistically significant in the RT-PCR negative group (p = 0.008 and 0.005, respectively).ConclusionChest CT findings may provide some clues in predicting RT-PCR positivity in children with a probable diagnosis of COVID-19. Lobe involvement percentage of up to 25% is a finding in favor of patients with positive RT-PCR test, whereas 25%-75% lobe involvement, central and perihilar involvement, and consolidation can be interpreted in favor of patients with negative RT-PCR test.© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

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