Clinical case of severe bilateral pneumonia associated with SARS-CoV-2 viral infection

Coronavirus infection spreads rapidly and is transmitted from person to person by airborne and contact-household routes. A positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2 is required for a definitive diagnosis. However, multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) is a sensitive and specific method of diagnosing coronavirus lung disease as the most common manifestation of infection. In addition, in patients at high risk of COVID-19, signs of viral pneumonia in MSCT of the lungs may precede negative PCR results. Based on our own experience and observations in the diagnosis of severe respiratory syndrome SARS-CoV-2, we draw attention to the need to perform MSCT of the chest in patients at high risk and clinical manifestations of COVID-19-associated pneumonia, despite the initial negative PCR result.