title: [Thoracic high resolution CT findings of 100 SARS patients in convalescent period].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Wei-hong
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ji-xiang
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Wen-bin
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Bai-qiang
authors.initials: BQ
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-bing
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Tai-sheng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: 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