(1) Background: Time-consuming SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR suffers from limited sensitivity in early infection stages whereas fast available chest CT can already raise COVID-19 suspicion. Nevertheless, radiologists’ performance to differentiate COVID-19, especially from influenza pneumonia, is not sufficiently characterized. (2) Methods: A total of 201 pneumonia CTs were identified and divided into subgroups based on RT-PCR: 78 COVID-19 CTs, 65 influenza CTs and 62 Non-COVID-19-Non-influenza (NCNI) CTs. Three radiology experts (blinded from RT-PCR results) raised pathogen-specific suspicion (separately for COVID-19, influenza, bacterial pneumonia and fungal pneumonia) according to the following reading scores: 0—not typical/1—possible/2—highly suspected. Diagnostic performances were calculated with RT-PCR as a reference standard. Dependencies of radiologists’ pathogen suspicion scores were characterized by Pearson’s Chi 2 Test for Independence . (3) Results: Depending on whether the intermediate reading score 1 was considered as positive or negative, radiologists correctly classified 83–85% (vs. NCNI)/79–82% (vs. influenza) of COVID-19 cases (sensitivity up to 94%). Contrarily, radiologists correctly classified only 52–56% (vs. NCNI)/50–60% (vs. COVID-19) of influenza cases. The COVID-19 scoring was more specific than the influenza scoring compared with suspected bacterial or fungal infection. (4) Conclusions: High-accuracy COVID-19 detection by CT might expedite patient management even during the upcoming influenza season.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Pneumonia, Influenza, Computed tomography, radiology, 【초록키워드】 Test, RT-PCR, sensitivity, Chest CT, pathogen, management, Patient, SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, reference standard, fungal, Bacterial, early infection, Fungal infection, Independence, dependency, subgroup, COVID-19 case, influenza pneumonia, Stage, positive, radiologist, raise, blinded, raised, characterized, calculated, pathogen-specific, 【제목키워드】 assessment, Other, Upcoming,