• Rita Nassanga, Aloysius Gonzaga Mubuuke, Randhawa Mangun, Max Crescent Tumusiime, Erem Geoffrey, Valeria Nabbosa, Francis Olweny, Faith Ameda, and Sam Bugeza.
• Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Department of Radiology.
• Afr Health Sci. 2023 Dec 1; 23 (4): 8510185-101.

BackgroundThe alarming spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a shortage of RT-PCR kits in Uganda necessitating the use of high-resolution chest Computed Tomography to guide patient management and treatment.Main ObjectiveTo describe the chest HRCT findings in patients with clinically suspected COVID-19 pneumonia and to compare its diagnostic accuracy to RT-PCR. .MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, chest HRCT findings of 384 patients and available RT-PCR laboratory results were reviewed and recorded in the data collection form.ResultsThe commonest chest HRCT findings were bilateral ground glass opacities (78.2%). Out of the 31.7% patients that took the PCR test only 26.9% tested positive. 16 out of 17 patients who tested negative, were classified under CORADS 5.The sensitivity of chest HRCT was 90.4%, 95% CI (82.6-95.5), positive predictive value of 84.2%, 95% CI (75.6-90.7), and accuracy of 77.5%, 95% CI (71.5-87.1).ConclusionsHRCT was found superior to RT-PCR in diagnosing COVID-19. A patient with positive HRCT findings should be treated as COVID 19 when RT-PCR is inaccessible or results are negative. A patient with negative HRCT requires complimentary RT-PCR and possibly follow up CT scans if symptoms persist before treating for COVID 19.© 2023 Nassanga R et al.

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