Mortality Predictors in Thorax Tomography Findings in Covid-19 Patients

Abstract

Objective: The Covid pandemic is still ongoing. Tomography is widely used in Covid-19 patients for lung damage determination. The aim of this study was to detect intrathoracic anatomical alterations that may be related to a mortal outcome.

Methods: The study was carried out in a single center and retrospectively on a total of 322 cases, 147 deceased and 175 survivors. All patients, confirmed to be Covid-19⁺ by PCR, had lung involvement. Total lung volumes, diameters of major vascular structures, comoborbidity status and laboratory blood tests of the patients were determined and recorded. Total lung volumes were calculated using the range of -1024HU to -300HU in the Slicer application.

Results: Mortality was higher in male gender and patients who have advanced age, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. Mortality rate was high in patients with low lung volume (p<0.001). Increase in right and left pulmonary artery diameters and decrease in thorax transverse diameters were associated with mortality in women (p<0.001).

Conclutions: Intrathoracic anatomical measurements show alterations in morbid Covid- 19 patients. With thorax tomography imaging, lung volumes can be obtained through three- dimensional computer applications and can give an idea about mortality in Covid-19 patients (p<0.001). An increase in the diameters of the right and left pulmonary arteries is a marker of mortality in women (p<0.001). In addition, comorbidity conditions and laboratory blood parameters can also be used as markers.

Key words: Covid-19, tomography, lung volumetry, mortality, pulmonary arteries