Severe acute respiratory syndrome: thin-section computed tomography features, temporal changes, and clinicoradiologic correlation during the convalescent period.

Objective: To evaluate thin-section computed tomography findings of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the convalescent period and to correlate the results with clinical parameters and lung function tests. with advanced age, parameters indicating severe illness, and diffusion capacity adjusted for hemoglobin on follow-up. Methods: Ninety-nine severe acute respiratory syndrome patients with persistent changes on follow-up chest radiography were included. One hundred seventy computed tomography examinations at baseline (n = 70), 3 months (n = 56), and 6 months (n = 44) were retrospectively evaluated to determine the extent of ground-glass opacification, reticulation, and total parenchymal involvement. Patients' demographic information, clinical information during treatment, and results of lung function tests at 3 and 6 months were correlated with computed tomography findings. Results: A significant serial improvement in the extent of overall ground-glass opacification, overall reticulation, and total parenchymal involvement was observed (P < 0.01). Advanced age, previous intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, alternative treatment, higher peak lactate dehydrogenase, and peak radiographic involvement during treatment showed a positive correlation with overall reticulation and total parenchymal involvement at 6 months. There was a significant negative correlation between overall reticulation and total parenchymal involvement with diffusion capacity adjusted for hemoglobin at 3 and 6 months (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Lung changes on thin-section computed tomography of severe acute respiratory syndrome patients improved with time during the convalescent period and showed a significant correlation with advanced age, parameters indicating severe illness, and diffusion capacity adjusted for hemoglobin on follow-up.