ABSTRACT
Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) and Loculated pneumothorax (LPNX) are both generally rare clinical and radiological conditions associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We report for the first time clinical data and radiological chest CT imaging of two patients affected by COVID-pneumonia associated with early radiological findings of SPM and LPNX.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections , Mediastinal Emphysema , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral , Pneumothorax , Adult , Aged , Betacoronavirus , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Coronavirus Infections/diagnostic imaging , Coronavirus Infections/pathology , Female , Humans , Male , Mediastinal Emphysema/diagnostic imaging , Mediastinal Emphysema/pathology , Mediastinal Emphysema/virology , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnostic imaging , Pneumonia, Viral/pathology , Pneumothorax/diagnostic imaging , Pneumothorax/pathology , Pneumothorax/virology , SARS-CoV-2 , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to report the radiological features of chest CT scan of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) living in a town in Southern Italy where a significant outbreak of the disease occurred. METHODS: We revised the CT scan of 62 patients (34 male, 28 female, mean age 71 +/- 14 years) with clinical and laboratory signs of COVID-19, as assessed by positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing. All patients underwent chest CT at the time of admission to the hospital. A semi-quantitative scoring system was used to evaluate the extension of the disease. RESULTS: Out of the 62 patients the main radiological findings were reticular pattern (29%), ground-glass opacities (24%), crazy paving pattern (11%) and consolidation (35%). Most of the lesions were bilateral (97%), posterior (95%) and located near pleura (50%) or lung fissures (45%), mainly involving the lower right lobe (56%) and lower left lobe (23%). Pleural thickening was observed in 72.6% of patients and pleural effusion in 18%. Median value of the score was 7.0 and was significantly higher in male than female (8.5 vs 6.0, p=0.03) and in patients with pleural thickening compared to those without this finding (8.0 vs 5.0, p=0.03).
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/diagnostic imaging , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Pleura/diagnostic imaging , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Female , Humans , Italy , Male , Middle Aged , Pandemics , Pleura/pathology , Pleural Effusion/diagnostic imaging , Pleural Effusion/etiology , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel viral infection characterized by several symptoms range from mild to severe clinical conditions that could lead to death. We report two different radiological findings on computed tomography (CT) in two patients affected by SARS-CoV-2: a lung acute embolism (APE) in the first case and a radiological picture of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the second case. This is an important issue to be identified in order to provide more specific therapy earlier, including both antiviral and anti-inflammatory drugs associated with anti anticoagulant therapy.