Graphical abstract

Background

SARS: Epidemiology and Imaging

MERS: Epidemiology and Imaging

NCIP: What Do We Know?

Precautions for Radiology Department Personnel

Take-Home Points

References

Abstract

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus pneumonia emerged in Wuhan, China. Since then, this highly contagious coronavirus has been spreading worldwide, with a rapid rise in the number of deaths. Novel coronavirus–infected pneumonia (NCIP) is characterized by fever, fatigue, dry cough, and dyspnea. A variety of chest imaging features have been reported, similar to those found in other types of coronavirus syndromes. The purpose of the present review is to briefly discuss the known epidemiology and the imaging findings of coronavirus syndromes, with a focus on the reported imaging findings of NCIP. Moreover, the authors review precautions and safety measures for radiology department personnel to manage patients with known or suspected NCIP. Implementation of a robust plan in the radiology department is required to prevent further transmission of the virus to patients and department staff members.

Background

Coronaviruses are nonsegmented, enveloped, positive-sense, single-strand ribonucleic acid viruses, belonging to the Coronaviridae family [1]. Six types of coronavirus have been identified that cause human disease: four cause mild respiratory symptoms, whereas the other two, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, have caused epidemics with high mortality rates.

In December 2019, a new type of coronavirus called 2019 novel coronavirus was extracted from lower respiratory tract samples of several patients in Wuhan, China. These patients presented with symptoms of severe pneumonia, including fever, fatigue, dry cough, and respiratory distress. Novel coronavirus–infected pneumonia (NCIP) is believed to have originated in a wet “seafood market” in Wuhan. The virus, which has been reported in 28 countries as of this writing, has shown human-to-human transmission and is feared to have the potential to cause a pandemic [2,3]. The mean incubation period is estimated to be 5.2 days, which allows air travelers to spread the disease globally [4]. Evidence shows that virus transmission can occur during the incubation period in asymptomatic patients. Moreover, high sputum viral loads were found in a patient with NCIP during the recovery phase [5]. As of February 5, 2020, more than 25,000 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide, with a rapid rise in the number of deaths. The Word Health Organization has announced the outbreak a global health emergency.