Added Value of Multi-slice CT Scan (320 Slice) in Evaluation of Cardiac Complications Post COVID-19 Infection

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had affected population health throughout the world. Few studies had focused on post-COVID19 complications detection using multi-slice CT scans. Our trial aimed to assess the value of cardiac CT utility during the COVID-19 pandemic for the detection of cardiac complications and correlation with the severity scoring system for chest manifestations. Since the beginning of COVID-19 outbreak, cardiac computed tomography (CT) had a sudden increased value and use with a huge reduction in face-to-face patient care and elective diagnostic testing. This study started from May 2021 to April 2022 in a single cardiac CT centre. This prospective cohort trial was conducted on 40 patients proved to have COVID-19 infection by positive RT-PCR test for COVID-19 and/or CT chest manifestations. CT results were reviewed and compared to echocardiography and/or catheterization data.

Results: In the CT severity score, the more severe score for COVID-19 infection was noted in cases with coronary artery occlusion and pulmonary embolic diseases. Meanwhile, the mild and moderate severity score groups developed myocarditis, pericarditis, and dilated cardiomyopathy, respectively, with statically significant differences with p-value= 0.007 for coronary artery disease (CAD) and 0.026 for pulmonary embolism. The significance of echocardiography examination was noted in cases with pericarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy, with p-value= 0.018 for pericarditis and 0.01 for dilated cardiomyopathy.

Conclusions: MSCT is a very useful technique to for patients presenting with suspected post-COVID cardiac complications, in addition to severity scoring of chest involvement, also providing its correlation with the occurrence of cardiac complications.