Imaging

Thoracic imaging is an important cornerstone in the diagnosis, monitoring and follow-up of admitted patients with pneumonia associated with COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. The most commonly used forms of thoracic imaging, encompassing lung ultrasound, chest radiography and CT, all possess acceptable sensitivities for the detection of COVID-19 with lung involvement but are flawed, with the typical findings being unspecific. As such, imaging results should always be critically appraised and correlated into the given clinical context. None of the thoracic imaging modalities is optimal for any given clinical scenario or setting, as what is practically feasible in one context may not be feasible in another. Local logistical factors, available healthcare resources, limitation of disease spread and safety of healthcare staff also need to be considered when determining the optimal choice of thoracic imaging. Hence, additional studies are warranted, especially assessing the optimal use of thoracic imaging for monitoring patients with COVID-19 during admission, but also for assessment of possible pulmonary COVID-19 sequelae. © ERS 2021.