Are the tests used in [1] (real-time RT-PCR) the same?
The false negative reported several times from the same patient is interesting, but may be more due to testing source (upper respiratory fluid vs. sputum or lower respiratory sources or blood).
Yes, the "q" is often used instead of "real-time" to avoid confusion with RT, which can also be "reverse transcriptase". RT in these cases is the enzyme that converts RNA to DNA.
The false negative reported several times from the same patient is interesting, but may be more due to testing source (upper respiratory fluid vs. sputum or lower respiratory sources or blood).
[1]: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/6/20-0299_article