The Relation between RT-PCR and Chest CT Scan Sensitivity as Tools in the Diagnosis of COVID-19 Patients in Al-Najaf Province, Iraq

Layth Abdulmajeed Abdulkhaleq; Moutaz AW Abdul  Mounan; Walaa F Obead

Layth Abdulmajeed Abdulkhaleq Department of Pathology and Poultry Disease, Collage of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bagdad, Iraq.
Moutaz AW Abdul Mounan Department of Vet. Public Health, Collage of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bagdad, Iraq.
Walaa F Obead Department of Anatomy and Histology, Collage of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kerbala, Iraq.

Keywords: RT-PCR, Chest CT Scan, COVID-19, Sensitivity, Specificity

Abstract

The typical test for diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, but the chest CT scan might play a complementary role at the first detection of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia.

Objectives: To determine the sensitivity of CT scan on patients with COVID-19 in Al-Najaf, Iraq, and to compare the accuracy of CT scan with that of RT-PCR technique.

Material and Method: This is a prospective study. The patients suspicious of having COVID-19 infection and respiratory symptoms were registered. All patients were diagnosed by RT-PCR and chest CT. Diagnostic performance of CT was intended using RT-PCR as the reference standard in the centre of coronavirus investigation in Al-Najaf city, Iraq from March 2020 to September 2020.

Results: The study population included 125 consecutive participants (males and females; mean age = 53 Â± 17 years). Of the 125 participants, fever was observed in 93 (74.4%), cough was observed in 81 (64.8%), dyspnoea was observed in 47 (33%), and lymphocytopenia was observed in 89 (71.2%) subjects. The sensitivity and specificity of chest CT scan was 94% (95% confidence interval).

Conclusion: The typical diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 pneumonia is by RT-PCR at the first stage of infection which can then be confirmed by chest CT.

How to cite this article:
Abdulkhaleq LA, Mounan MAWA, Obead FW. The Relation between RT-PCR and Chest CT Scan Sensitivity as Tools in the Diagnosis of COVID-19 Patients in Al-Najaf Province, Iraq. J Commun Dis. 2021;53(4):114-118.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202181

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