Pertussis may be completely normal on chest CT, or it may show thickening of the lung texture, patchy shadows, or other forms of lesions.
1. No abnormalities on chest CT: Pertussis is a respiratory infection, and in mild cases of pertussis without bronchopulmonary involvement, a chest CT may not show any abnormalities.
2. Thickening of the lung texture or patchy shadows: Pertussis may also involve the bronchi and lungs, and changes such as bronchiectasis or bronchopneumonia may occur, which may be manifested by thickening of the lung texture or patchy shadows along the bronchial vascular bundles.
3. Other manifestations: for example, patients with pertussis may find atelectasis on chest CT.
To summarize, pertussis may present with certain lung abnormalities, but may not show any abnormalities on chest CT; chest CT can only assist in determining the condition, but cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis.