Objectives To analyze the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory test results, and chest CT features of 50 patients with common novel corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), so as to provide a theoretical basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Methods The clinical manifestations and CT image findings of 50 patients with common novel COVID-19 (including 26 males and 24 females, aged (38.2±19.6) years) who were positive in throat swab samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction in Wuxi Fifth People's Hospital from January to April 2020 were collected and studied retrospectively. In addition, the patients were scanned with thin-layer chest CT and multiplanar reconstruction to observe the changes in their lungs, and the involvement of each lung area was scored. The measurement data were compared by using the Mann-Whitney U test. The Chi-square test was used to compare counting data.

Results Of the 50 patients with common novel COVID-19, 40 patients (80%) had been to Wuhan or had a history of contact with confirmed patients, 17 patients (34%) had no evident symptoms, and 38 patients (76%) were primarily characterized by fever, cough and fatigue. The results of laboratory tests are mostly within the normal range, and some patients have shown decreased lymphocyte count, increased level of hypersensitive C-reactive protein, and decreased percentage of lymphocytes. Typical CT manifestations primarily include ground-glass shadow, paving stone sign and consolidation, and lung tissue lesions are primarily of peripheral type, with bilateral lobular distribution. The CT score of the anterior lung area was significantly lower than that of the posterior lung area (H=−4.096, P=0.003), and the CT score of the middle and upper lung area was lower than that of the lower lung area (H=6.917, P=0.031).

Conclusions Patients with common novel COVID-19 may not have evident clinical manifestations, and their laboratory results may have no obvious abnormalities, but the change in chest CT is relatively evident. Therefore, patient's chest CT performance and dynamic changes in chest CT should be combined to obtain accurate clinical diagnosis and treatment.