This study of patients in Rome showed that chest CT sensitivity was high (97%) but specificity was lower (56%).

CT may have a role to play in the diagnosis of COVID-19, and this study compared its potential to that of RT-PCR. In Italy, from March 4, 2020, until March 19, 2020, consecutive patients with suspected COVID-19 infection were enrolled, and 158 patients underwent RT-PCR and chest CT.

The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CT were 97% , 56% , and 72%, respectively.

In a subgroup of RT-PCR-positive and CT-positive patients, ground-glass opacities (GGO) were present in 100%, multilobe and posterior involvement in 93%, bilateral pneumonia in 91%, and subsegmental vessel enlargement (> 3 mm) in 89%.