This article shows that the computerized tomography (CT)of the lungs is more sensitive than the first real time PCR (rt-PCR) test for the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia (97.2% vs 83.3%). It does recommend to treat patients with typical findings of COVID-19 in the CT of the lungs with negative first rt-PCR as if they were positive.

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To quote this article in bibliography:

Long, Chunqin, Huaxiang Xu, Qinglin Shen, Xianghai Zhang, Bing Fan, Chuanhong Wang, Bingliang Zeng, Zicong Li, Xiaofen Li, Honglu Li. “Diagnosis of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): rRT-PCR or CT?" European Journal of Radiology 126, (2020): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrad.2020.108961

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