Differences in Clinical and Imaging Features between Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients

Figure 3

(a) Computed tomography imaging of an asymptomatic carrier who developed symptoms at a later stage. A 57-year-old woman who had hypertension for five years had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient (her husband). (A) The first computed tomography imaging scan showed an area of consolidation in the right middle lobe. (B and C) Seven days later, the woman developed a slight cough; computed tomography imaging showed that the area of consolidation was enlarged in the right middle lobe. (D–F) At 11 days, new lesions developed in both the upper and lower lobes. (G–I) In the early improvement stage at 13 days, lesions in the bilateral lung area shrank and decreased in density. (J–L) The lesion in the left lung had disappeared, while the right lung lesions had been markedly absorbed. (b) Computed tomography imaging of a symptomatic COVID-19 patient. A 46-year-old man who lived in Wuhan had an intermittent cough and tested positive for viral nucleic acid. (A and B) On the day of admission, multiple patches of ground-glass opacity were observed in both upper lobes and the left lower lobe. (C and D) Four days later, computed tomography imaging showed that the lesion in both upper lobes was enlarged, and the ground-glass opacity had transformed into ground-glass opacity mixed with consolidation. An air bronchogram was observed in the right upper lobe, and new lesions appeared in both upper lobes. (E and F) In the early improvement stage, the lesions in both upper lobes shrank and reflected decreased density. (G and H) In the late improvement stage, the lesions in both upper lobes had been markedly absorbed with only patchy ground-glass opacity remaining. (c) Computed tomography imaging of a special case without symptoms (an asymptomatic carrier). A 16-year-old boy was isolated because his parents were confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 patients. (A) The first computed tomography imaging scan revealed a small high-density lesion (arrow) in the right lower lung lobe. (B) Four days later, the lesion in the right lower lobe had undergone marked shrinking (arrow). (C) At the six-day follow-up, the lesion had further shrunk and became a lesion of only 0.5 cm in diameter (arrow). (D) At the 11-day follow-up, the lesion had completely disappeared.

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