In 93% of patients hospitalized for moderately severe COVID-19, lung abnormalities resolve by their 12-month CT follow-up exam, according to a study published May 10 in Radiology.
In 78 of 84 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 between March 2020 and July 2021, chest CT scans at 12 months showed complete resolution of lung abnormalities such as ground-glass opacities, consolidation, bronchiectasis/bronchiolectasis, and reticulation, wrote a team led by Dr. Marialuisa Bocchino of Frederico II University of Naples.
"Our results show that residual lung abnormalities on CT are minimal at one year in patients who experienced moderate COVID-19 pneumonia," the group concluded.
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
