[Thoracic high resolution CT findings of 100 SARS patients in convalescent period].
OBJECTIVE
To study thoracic high resolution CT findings of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients in convalescent period and the relationship between the features with laboratory and pulmonary function results.


METHODS
All the 100 SARS patients who had been discharged from hospital for about 2 months underwent thoracic high resolution CT examinations. Among them, 65 also had laboratory results and 91 underwent examinations of pulmonary function.


RESULTS
Forty-nine SARS patients (49.0%, 49/100) in convalescent period still had abnormal findings in CT examination. And ground-glass opacification (95.9%, 47/49) and reticular opacification (59.2%, 29/49) were common. There was no significant difference in the level of lymphocytes and CD4 cells among groups divided according to severity of CT findings (P > 0.01). Diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco%) of level 2 and 3 were statistically lower than that of level 0 (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The features of CT findings of SARS patients in convalescent period are not the same as those of patients in period of apparent manifestation. The high resolution CT can reflect pulmonary diffusing function to some degree.
Jin
Zheng-yu
ZY
Department of Radiology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
You
Hui
H
Zhang
Wei-hong
WH
Wang
Yun
Y
Liang
Ji-xiang
JX
Mu
Wen-bin
WB
Peng
Min
M
Ma
Yi
Y
Cai
Bai-qiang
BQ
Wang
Zhong
Z
Xu
Wen-bing
WB
Li
Tai-sheng
TS
Cui
Wei
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003289:Convalescence; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods