CT imaging and examination
Thoracic images were taken with a 16-row CT device (Toshiba Alexion 16), at a slice thickness of 3mm, in the supine position and with the appropriate thoracic imaging protocol (kV:100-120,mAs:50-100). According to the CT findings,COVID-19 pneumonia was defined under three stages. At Stage 1 of the disease, the lung parenchyma was normal or close to normal. At Stage 2 (moderate pneumonia), there were ground-glass opacities that typically showed peripheral and subpleural distributions. In the presence of severe pneumonia, consolidation, linear opacities and reticular patterns were considered Stage 310. In the study, in addition to these parameters, the right pulmonary artery diameter (RPAD), the left pulmonary artery diameter (LPAD), the main pulmonary artery diameter (MPAD), the diameter of the ascending aorta (AA) and the diameter of the inferior vena cava (IVC) were also measured (Fig.1,Fig.2). Each CT scan was shown in a computer interface where the researcher identified the axial part of CT showing the splitting of the main pulmonary artery and measured arterial diameters manually.