Investigating The Radiological Patterns Of COVID-19 Among Adult Sudanese Patients In Resources- Limited Settings

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 viral infection is one of the respiratory infections that make the lives of patients miserable, decreasing the quality of their life and causing a fatal disease, especially in elderly age groups, chronic diseases, co-morbidity patients, and those with immunodeficiency health states. The disease can be diagnosed clinically since symptoms, signs, and examinations are insufficient. A chest X-ray, CT, and imaging techniques must be done for all suspicious cases in all age groups in addition, it is a very infectious disease and spreads fast. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of radiological procedures in diagnosing COVID-19. Identify various radiological patterns of COVID- 19 and determine the incidence rate of these radiological patterns of COVID-19. Compare the radiological findings between CT and CXR. And to identify which lung involved more and which part involved less. Methods: This study was conducted from April 2021 to January 2023, taking 21 months to be accomplished. 160 patients participated in this study from centers in the el-Khartoum capital of Sudan and the Nile state. Results: Both CT and chest X-ray are significant for diagnosing COVID-19. Males are more commonly presented than females. The commonest presenting age in both sexes is between 65 and 85 years. A chest x-ray presents with bilateral lower zonal consolidation in both sexes commonly. The right side lung in chest X-ray is mostly involved in both sexes. CT's chest presented with ground glass opacities in both sexes. There is associated lymph adenopathy and pleural effusion in males, commonly in CT chest. Bilateral lower lung lobes in CT chest are mostly involved in both sexes. Conclusion: radiological imaging, particularly CT scans, proved to be a critical tool in diagnosing and assessing the severity of COVID19 in Sudanese population. The study also highlighted a strong correlation between extensive radiological finding and severe clinical presentations, emphasizing the prognostic value of imaging in resources-limiting like Sudan. Keywords: Radiological Patterns, COVID-19, Shendi –Sudan