Open AccessRole of radiology in RT-PCR negative COVID-19 pneumonia: Review and recommendations
Author(s) -
Binit Sureka,
Pawan Kumar Garg,
S. Saxena,
Mahendra Kumar Garg,
Sanjeev Misra
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of family medicine and primary care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2278-7135
pISSN - 2249-4863
DOI - 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2108_20
Subject(s) - medicine , covid-19 , gold standard (test) , pneumonia , isolation (microbiology) , viral pneumonia , pcr test , population , real time polymerase chain reaction , radiology , intensive care medicine , virology , polymerase chain reaction , bioinformatics , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , biochemistry , chemistry , environmental health , outbreak , gene , biology
Currently, RT-PCR is the gold standard for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, due to the time-consuming laboratory tests and the low positivity rate of RT-PCR, it cannot be an ideal screening tool for infected population. In this review article, we have reviewed studies related to RT-PCR and CT chest and we would like to give our recommendations. Depending upon the patient's clinical symptoms and radiology imaging typical of viral pneumonia compatible with COVID-19 infection, clinicians need to consider isolation of these patients early even if the RT-PCR test is negative.