COVID-19 pneumonia: the great radiological mimicker

Insights into Imaging

Table 1 CT findings of COVID-19 pneumonia and other infectious diseases

CT finding	COVID-19 pneumonia	Non-COVID viral pneumonia	Bacterial pneumonia	PJP	Fungal pneumonia
GGO	+++	++	+	+++	+
Consolidation	++	++	+++	0	+
Centrilobular nodular opacities	−−−	++	++	−	+
Crazy-paving	++	++	+	++	−
Lesion distribution
Peripheral	+++	++	+	+	0
Lower zone	+++	++	+	+	0
Rounded morphology	+++	+	+	−−	++
Cavitation	−−−	−	+	−	++
Pleural effusion	−−	+	++	0	+
Lymphadenopathy	−−	+	++	0	+

The most common findings of aforementioned disease groups are presented. Signs indicate the strength of relation between the CT finding and diagnosis; in a range of (+++) and (−−−); (+++) indicating the strongest association