Computed tomography signs of the possible aspergillosis in the dynamic observation of patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND: Aspergillosis of the lungs, which occurs against the background of COVID-19, develops as a life-threatening complication, especially in patients with a severe disease and those treated in intensive care units. Mortality rates vary significantly in the published materials, with inexplicably high levels in some of them. All the studies are united in the conclusion that, in the absence of a timely diagnosis and treatment, mortality can reach 100%. Obtaining a biological material for the laboratory diagnostics is often difficult. In such cases, computed tomography of the lungs serves as an informative instrumental study to exclude or confirm the presence of the mycotic lung damage, including aspergillosis, against the background of COVID-19. Thus, the systematization, generalization and analysis of CT changes in the lungs of COVID-associated pulmonary aspergillosis are required.