Evaluation of Chest CT Scan Findings in Pediatric Patients With COVID‐19: A Retrospective Descriptive Study

Background and Aims COVID‐19 in children presents with varying severity. Identifying characteristic chest CT features is essential for accurate diagnosis and screening. This study aimed to evaluate CT patterns in pediatric COVID‐19 cases to enhance diagnostic accuracy. Methods This retrospective cross‐sectional study analyzed chest CT scans of 42 children with confirmed COVID‐19 at Children's Hospital, Gorgan, Iran. A 14‐item checklist assessed demographics, lung involvement, and radiological features. Descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test were used for analysis. Results Ground‐glass opacities (GGO) were the most common finding (92.9%), followed by consolidation (54.8%). Both were significantly associated with peripheral distribution ( p < 0.001) and lower zone involvement ( p < 0.001 for GGO, p ≈ 0.002 for consolidation). Lesions affected peripheral lung zones (45.24%) or both central and peripheral zones (40.48%), with consolidation predominantly in the latter ( p < 0.001). Notably, 7.1% of children had no visible lung lesions. Cases with < 25% lung involvement showed significant correlation with GGO ( p < 0.001). Pleural effusion was observed in 4.8%, while pericardial effusion and mediastinal lymphadenopathy were absent. Conclusion Pediatric COVID‐19 commonly presents with GGO, consolidation, and peripheral lung lesions, with rare occurrence of features such as pleural effusion compared to adults. These differences may refine diagnostic strategies for pediatric populations.