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• An outbreak of pneumonia of COVID-19 was recently reported in China, with highly infectious. • This was a multi-centered study included 234 inpatients confirmed with COVID-19 from 13 hospitals during 17 days (from January 10th to February 7th 2020) in Jiangsu province. Most of these cases were introduced from Wuhan, and they might have some distinctive clinical and imaging features. • The comprehensive chest CT characteristics and clinical features of patients with COVID-19 were described in this study. A pneumonia associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recently emerged in China. It was recognized as a global health hazard. 234 inpatients with COVID-19 were included. Detailed clinical data, chest HRCT basic performances and certain signs were recorded Ground-glass opacity (GGO), consolidation, fibrosis and air trapping were quantified. Both clinical types and CT stages were evaluated. Most patients (approximately 90%) were classified as common type and with epidemiologic history. Fever and cough were main symptoms. Chest CT showed abnormal attenuation in bilateral multiple lung lobes, distributed in the lower and/or periphery of the lungs (94.98%), with multiple shapes. GGO and vascular enhancement sign were most frequent seen, followed by interlobular septal thickening and air bronchus sign as well as consolidation, fibrosis and air trapping. There were significant differences in most of CT signs between different stage groups. The SpO2 and OI were decreased in stage IV, and the CT score of consolidation, fibrosis and air trapping was significantly lower in stage I (P < 0.05). A weak relevance was between the fibrosis score and the value of PaO2 and SpO2 (P < 0.05). Clinical performances of patients with COVID-19, mostly with epidemiologic history and typical symptoms, were critical valuable in the diagnosis of the COVID-19. While chest HRCT provided the distribution, shape, attenuation and extent of lung lesions, as well as some typical CT signs of COVID-19 pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-center study including 307 COVID-19 pneumonia patients • Chest HRCT features were quantitatively evaluated • Chest CT changes had gender differences • CT scores had correlations with arterial blood gas indices The study was aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and evaluate the dynamic changes of chest CT features in the first three weeks in the common type fo COVID-19 pneumonia patients in Jiangsu Province. 307 patients infected SARS-CoV-2 classified as common type were enrolled in the study. 628 chest CT scans were divided into three groups based on the time interval between symptoms and chest CT scan. The clinical characteristics were descriptively analyzed.The chest CT features were quantitatively evaluated. Mann-Whitney U test was used to test the differences in three groups and between men and women. Spearman rank correlation was used to test the association between the arterial blood gas(ABG) analysis results and chest CT scores. Fever (69.1%) and cough (62.8%) were common symptoms. 111(36.2%) patients were anorexia. GGO was the most common manifestation of COVID-19 pneumonia, which could be followed by consolidation and fibrosis. Lower lobe or subpleural region was the most common distribution form of lesion. More lung lobes were involved in the third week. Total chest CT scores in the second week were higher than the first week. Fibrosis Scores increased in the second and third week. Total CT score, GGO score and fibrosis score of male patients were significantly higher than female in the second week. Male patients had higher consolidation score and fibrosis score than female in the third week. Total CT score and GGO score had weak to moderate correlation with arterial blood gas indices. Changes in chest CT were difficult to assess quantitatively in the first third weeks. Male patients recovered slower than female in the second week. Although CT score had correlations with arterial blood gas indices, long-term follow-up of pulmonary function test is needed to determine the recovery of lung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]