In our study, the major characteristic of COVID-19 was GGO (61.3%), followed by GGO with consolidation (35.5%), rounded opacity (25.8%), a crazy-paving pattern (25.8%), and an air bronchogram (22.6%). In contrast, pulmonary fibrosis (1.6%) and pleural effusions (3.2%) were rare on chest CT images. These various CT findings are likely related to the complex pathological changes in the lungs of patients with COVID-19. Although pathological changes in the lung tissue of COVID-19 patients have not yet been studied, recent studies have reported that SARS-CoV-2 is closely related (with 88% identity) to two bat-derived severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)–like coronaviruses, with approximately 79% homology with SARS-CoV and approximately 50% homology with MERS-CoV [17, 18]. Because the pathogenesis of viral infections in the same family may be similar, previous studies on coronaviruses may be helpful in understanding the various CT findings in COVID-19 patients based on similar pathological changes. In SARS patients, pathological changes include injury to pulmonary epithelial cells, hyaline membrane formation on in the inner wall of the alveoli, and a large number of tissue cells and mass thrombi formed by proliferative fibrous tissue that block the small airway and air cavity [19]. These pathological changes may be the main pathological basis of the CT findings, especially the GGO.