Chest X-Ray for Follow-Up of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Settings with Limited Access to Computed Tomography

Abstract

We have read with great interest, the recent article published in Korean Journal of Radiology titled “Characteristics of COVID-19 patients who progress to pneumonia on follow-up chest radiograph: 236 patients from a single isolated cohort in Daegu”. The authors observed that 35% (59/167) of their patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and initially classified as negative for pneumonia on chest X-ray (CXR) showed a positive conversion at follow-up. Additionally, they identified that age ≥ 45 years (odds ratio [OR]: 3.93, 95% conflicts of interest [CI]: 1.76–8.75, p = 0.001), absolute lymphocyte count < 1500 cells/µL (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.03–4.89, p = 0.041), and C-reactive protein > 0.5 mg/dL (OR: 3.91, 95% CI: 1.54–9.91, p = 0.004) were independent factors related to this conversion...