Skip to main content
Top
Published in: European Radiology 8/2020

01-08-2020 | Coronavirus | Chest

CT features of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) in children

Authors: Ya-ni Duan, Yan-qiu Zhu, Lei-lei Tang, Jie Qin

Published in: European Radiology | Issue 8/2020

Login to get access

Abstract

A serious epidemic of COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and spread to other Chinese cities and several countries now. As the majority of patients infected with COVID-19 had chest CT abnormality, chest CT has become an important tool for early diagnosis of COVID-19 and monitoring disease progression. There is growing evidence that children are also susceptible to COVID-19 and have atypical presentations compared with adults. This review is mainly about the differences in clinical symptom spectrum, diagnosis of COVID-19, and CT imaging findings between adults and children, while highlighting the value of radiology in prevention and control of COVID-19 in pediatric patients.

Key points

• Compared with adults, pediatric patients with COVID-19 have the characteristics of lower incidence, slighter clinical symptoms, shorter course of disease, and fewer severe cases.
• The chest CT characteristics of COVID-19 in pediatric patients were atypical, with more localized GGO extent, lower GGO attenuation, and relatively rare interlobular septal thickening.
• Chest CT should be used with more caution in pediatric patients with COVID-19 to protect this vulnerable population from risking radiation.
Literature
1.
go back to reference Huang C, Wang Y, Li X et al (2020) Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet 395:497–506CrossRef Huang C, Wang Y, Li X et al (2020) Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet 395:497–506CrossRef
2.
go back to reference Zhu N, Zhang D, Wang W et al (2020) A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med 382:727–733CrossRef Zhu N, Zhang D, Wang W et al (2020) A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med 382:727–733CrossRef
6.
go back to reference Li Q, Guan X, Wu P et al (2020) Early transmission dynamics in Wuhan, China, of novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia. N Engl J Med 382:1199–1207CrossRef Li Q, Guan X, Wu P et al (2020) Early transmission dynamics in Wuhan, China, of novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia. N Engl J Med 382:1199–1207CrossRef
8.
11.
go back to reference Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association; Editorial Board, Chinese Journal of Pediatrics (2020) Recommendations for the diagnosis, prevention and control of the 2019 novel coronavirus infection in children (first interim edition). Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:169–174 (in Chinese) Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association; Editorial Board, Chinese Journal of Pediatrics (2020) Recommendations for the diagnosis, prevention and control of the 2019 novel coronavirus infection in children (first interim edition). Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:169–174 (in Chinese)
14.
go back to reference Li YY, Wang WN, Lei Y et al (2020) Comparison of the clinical characteristics between RNA positive and negative patients clinically diagnosed with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi 43:E023 (in Chinese) Li YY, Wang WN, Lei Y et al (2020) Comparison of the clinical characteristics between RNA positive and negative patients clinically diagnosed with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi 43:E023 (in Chinese)
17.
go back to reference Feng K, Yun YX, Wang XF et al (2020) Analysis of CT features of 15 children with 2019 novel coronavirus infection. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:E007 (in Chinese)PubMed Feng K, Yun YX, Wang XF et al (2020) Analysis of CT features of 15 children with 2019 novel coronavirus infection. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:E007 (in Chinese)PubMed
19.
go back to reference Chen Z, Fu J, Shu Q et al (2020) Diagnosis and treatment recommendation for pediatric coronavirus disease-19. Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 49:1–8 (in Chinese)PubMed Chen Z, Fu J, Shu Q et al (2020) Diagnosis and treatment recommendation for pediatric coronavirus disease-19. Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 49:1–8 (in Chinese)PubMed
21.
go back to reference Chen F, Liu ZS, Zhang FR et al (2020) First case of severe childhood novel coronavirus pneumonia in China. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:E005 (in Chinese)PubMed Chen F, Liu ZS, Zhang FR et al (2020) First case of severe childhood novel coronavirus pneumonia in China. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:E005 (in Chinese)PubMed
22.
go back to reference Zeng LK, Tao XW, Yuan WH, Wang J, Liu X, Liu ZS (2020) First case of neonate infected with novel coronavirus pneumonia in China. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:E009 (in Chinese)PubMed Zeng LK, Tao XW, Yuan WH, Wang J, Liu X, Liu ZS (2020) First case of neonate infected with novel coronavirus pneumonia in China. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:E009 (in Chinese)PubMed
23.
go back to reference Chan JF-W, Yuan S, Kok K-H et al (2020) A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet 395:514–523CrossRef Chan JF-W, Yuan S, Kok K-H et al (2020) A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet 395:514–523CrossRef
24.
go back to reference Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X et al (2020) Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. Lancet 395:507–513CrossRef Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X et al (2020) Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. Lancet 395:507–513CrossRef
30.
go back to reference Ma H, Shao J, Wang Y et al (2020) High resolution CT features of novel coronavirus pneumonia in children. Zhonghua Fang She Xue Za Zhi 54:E002 (in Chinese) Ma H, Shao J, Wang Y et al (2020) High resolution CT features of novel coronavirus pneumonia in children. Zhonghua Fang She Xue Za Zhi 54:E002 (in Chinese)
31.
go back to reference Ma Y, Xia S, Wang M, Zhang S, Du W, Chen Q (2020) Clinical features of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection: an analysis of 115 cases. Chin J Contemp Pediatr 22:1–4 (in Chinese) Ma Y, Xia S, Wang M, Zhang S, Du W, Chen Q (2020) Clinical features of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection: an analysis of 115 cases. Chin J Contemp Pediatr 22:1–4 (in Chinese)
32.
go back to reference Wang D, Ju XL, Xie F et al (2020) Clinical analysis of 31 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in children from six provinces (autonomous region) of northern China. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:E011 (in Chinese) Wang D, Ju XL, Xie F et al (2020) Clinical analysis of 31 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in children from six provinces (autonomous region) of northern China. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:E011 (in Chinese)
34.
go back to reference Zhou Y, Yang GD, Feng K et al (2020) Clinical features and chest CT findings of coronavirus disease 2019 in infants and young children. Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi 22:215–220 (in Chinese)PubMed Zhou Y, Yang GD, Feng K et al (2020) Clinical features and chest CT findings of coronavirus disease 2019 in infants and young children. Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi 22:215–220 (in Chinese)PubMed
37.
go back to reference Li HJ, Liu SY, Xu HB, Cheng JL (2020) Guideline for medical imaging in auxiliary diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019. Chin J Med Imaging Technol 36:1–11 (in Chinese) Li HJ, Liu SY, Xu HB, Cheng JL (2020) Guideline for medical imaging in auxiliary diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019. Chin J Med Imaging Technol 36:1–11 (in Chinese)
39.
go back to reference Zhang GX, Zhang AM, Huang L et al (2020) Twin girls infected with SARS-CoV-2. Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi 22:221–225 (in Chinese)PubMed Zhang GX, Zhang AM, Huang L et al (2020) Twin girls infected with SARS-CoV-2. Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi 22:221–225 (in Chinese)PubMed
40.
go back to reference Zhang Y, Lin D, Xiao M et al (2020) 2019-novel coronavirus infection in a three-month-old baby. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:182–184 (in Chinese)PubMed Zhang Y, Lin D, Xiao M et al (2020) 2019-novel coronavirus infection in a three-month-old baby. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi 58:182–184 (in Chinese)PubMed
Metadata
Title
CT features of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) in children
Authors
Ya-ni Duan
Yan-qiu Zhu
Lei-lei Tang
Jie Qin
Publication date
01-08-2020
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Radiology / Issue 8/2020
Print ISSN: 0938-7994
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1084
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-020-06860-3

Other articles of this Issue 8/2020

European Radiology 8/2020 Go to the issue