Objective:To assess the characteristics of computed tomography (CT) features and changes in CT monitoring in patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) . Methods:In this retrospective, two-center study, we reviewed the medical records of 57 patients with NCP in CT from January 21 to February 12, 2020. Cases were confirmed by the results of nucleic acid test positive, and were analyzed for demographic, clinical, and CT features. Results:Of the 57 patients, 31cases were male, and 45.6% were female. The average age was 46.5 ± 15.8 years. Patients had fever (84.2%), cough (49.1%), weak (31.6%), muscle ache (17.5%), shortness of breath (12.3%). The distribution of abnormality was a subpleural lesions in 51 cases, with 96.5% ground-glass opacity (GGO) and 68.4% consolidation. Another observation reveals 45.6% fibrosis, 33.3% lymph node enlargement, 21.1% pleural thickening, 17.5% small nodule, 7.0% white lung, 5.3% emphysema, and 3.5% bronchiectasis. Importantly, the group of men had more septal thickening and air trapping than the female group (p<0.05); Compared with the younger, the elderly had higher of subpleural lesion, interlobular septal thickening and pleural thickening (p<0.05). In the first monitoring, there were 37.3% improvement, 60.8% progress. In the second monitoring, there were 55% improvement, 35% progress. The improvement rate during the third follow-up visit was 100%.Conclusions: CT features and CT dynamic observation play a vital role in the diagnosis and treatment with NCP. It is conducive to early diagnosis, deepen the knowledge of NCP and accumulate experience.

Background Hydatid disease is a severe health problem in endemic areas. In recent years, the incidence of this disease in China has been increasing. As the imaging characteristics of pancreatic echinococcosis (PE) are similar to those of cystic diseases, such as cysts, tuberculosis, and tumors, PE is often misdiagnosed and mistreated. Methods The clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, radiological findings, and treatment of 19 patients with PE between January 2006 and December 2018 in 2 hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. Results The mean age of the patients was 38 years, and the ratio of women to men was 2. All patients came from rural areas. Clinical manifestations included cholestatic jaundice, mass, nausea, pain, and swelling. Hemagglutination inhibition test results were positive for all patients. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test results were positive in 17 cases (89.5%). Foci in the pancreas were head in 52.6%, body in 26.3%, body and tail in 15.8%, tail in 5.3%. The size of lesions’ diameter ranged from 1 to 12 cm (mean, 6.5 cm). The imaging features of PE included the presence of (a) daughter cysts on abdominal computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); (b) internal cyst wall dissection and ribbon sign on abdominal CT and/or MRI; (c) typical eggshell cyst wall calcification on abdominal CT. Conclusions For patients with cystic lesions on CT and/or MRI combined with epidemiological history and positive echinococcosis serology, doctors can correctly diagnose PE earlier. Surgical treatment combined with drugs can reduce the mortality of PE, leading to a better prognosis.

Background Brucella spondylitis (BS) and tuberculous spondylitis (TS), caused initially by bacteremia, are the two leading types of granulomatous spinal infections. BS is easy to miss or may be misdiagnosed as TS. Our purpose aims to differentiate BS from TS in conventional MR imaging and MR T2 mapping. Methods We performed on 26 BS and 27 TS patients conventional MR imaging and MR T2 mapping. We analyzed the features in conventional MR imaging and measured T2 values of the lesion vertebrae (LV) and unaffected adjacent vertebrae (UAV) in BS and TS patients, respectively. Results There were no significant differences in sex, age, national between BS and TS. There was significantly lower severity of vertebral destruction, vertebral posterior convex deformity, dead bone, and abscess scope in BS when compared to TS (p  <  0.001, p  =  0.048, p  <  0.001, p  <  0.001, respectively). The vertebral hyperplasia was significantly higher in BS when compared to TS (p  <  0.001). The T2 value of the LV with BS was markedly higher than that in the UAV with BS and that in the LV and UAV with TS (p  <  0.001, p  <  0.037, p  <  0.001, respectively). The T2 value of the LV with TS was significantly higher than that of the UAV in TS and BS (p  <  0.001, p  <  0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in the T2 value of the UAV between BS and TS (p  =  0.568). Conclusions The qualitative and quantitative evaluation may differentiate BS from TS. The conventional MR imaging helps to distinguish BS from TS by several distinctive features. MR T2 mapping has the additional potential to provide quantitative information between BS and TS.

Background Brucellar spondylitis (BS) and tuberculous spondylitis (TS) which cause initial bacteremia and show granulomatous lesions are the two leading types of spinal inflammatory. BS is easy to miss or maybe misdiagnosed as TS. Our purpose differentiates brucella spondylitis (BS) from tuberculous spondylitis (TS) in conventional MR imaging and MR T2 mapping.Methods We performed on 26 BS and 27 TS patients in conventional MR imaging and MR T2 mapping. We analyzed the features in conventional MR imaging and also measured T2 values of the lesion vertebrae (LV) and unaffected adjacent vertebrae (UAV) in BS and TS patients, respectively.Results There were no significant differences in sex, age, national between BS and TS. It was significantly lower of the severe vertebral destruction, vertebral posterior convex deformity, dead bone, and abscess scope in BS when compared to TS (p < 0.001, p = 0.005, p = 0.048, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). The vertebral hyperplasia was significantly higher in BS when compared to TS (p < 0.001). The T2 value of the LV with BS was markedly higher than that in the UAV with BS and that in the LV and UAV with TS (p < 0.001, p < 0.037, p < 0.001, respectively). The T2 value of the LV with TS was significantly higher than that of the UAV in TS and BS (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in the T2 value of the UAV between BS and TS (P = 0.568). Conclusions The qualitative and quantitative evaluation may differentiate BS from TS. The conventional MR imaging helps to distinguish BS from TS by several distinctive features. MR T2 mapping has the additional potential to provide quantitative information between BS and TS.