CT and MRI Findings of Invasive Mucormycosis in the Setting of COVID-19: Experience From a Single Center in India.

An increasing incidence of rhinoorbitocerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) among patients with COVID-19 has recently been reported in India. We report the imaging findings for 25 patients with COVID-19 and invasive ROCM at a single hospital in India. Findings included sinus wall erosions (n = 20), air within bony sinus structures (n = 11), and focal mucosal nonenhancement (n = 8). Orbital, vascular, and intracranial complications were also observed. Radiologists should recognize the increasing incidence of ROCM among patients with COVID-19 to facilitate early diagnosis.

Spectrum of MR imaging findings of sinonasal mucormycosis in post COVID-19 patients.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Radiological findings of mucormycosis in post COVID-19 patients show varied patterns of disease involvement and spectrum of imaging features. One should not solely rely on CT imaging to detect the extent of disease. MRI helps in early and accurate detection of invasion into adjacent structures and so helpful in early intervention.

A rare entity to major outbreak: a case report on mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis is relatively uncommon, fulminant, progressive, life threatening fungal disease which is most often seen in debilitating patients with immunocompromised condition. Mucormycosis cases are seen in patients with the use of systemic steroids in the treatment of severely affected COVID-19 cases and also in the patients with uncontrolled diabetes which causes immunosuppression are being reported with mucormycosis. The main symptoms of this disease include pain on the temporal and the orbital region of the affected side which could be throbbing or lancinating type, mobility of the teeth, jaw pain and often swelling is present which could be extraoral and intraoral both or sometimes only intraorally. The diagnostic approach in such cases is done with the help of clinical diagnosis, histopathology and with advanced imaging like cone beam computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. We here used cone beam computed tomography imaging that revealed haziness in the sinuses and breach in cortical bone of the affected area which confirmed the diagnosis of mucormycosis. Early treatment planning like administration of antifungal drugs and surgical debridement will be life saving in such a deadly disease.

Imaging findings using a combined MRI/CT protocol to identify the "entire iceberg" in post-COVID-19 mucormycosis presenting clinically as only "the tip".

AIM: To analyse combined computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of invasive rhino-orbital mucormycosis (IROM) in post-COVID-19 infection patients for accurate diagnosis and delineation of the extent of involvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of 50 patients who developed IROM post-COVID-19 infection who underwent combined CT/MRI evaluation. RESULTS: The age range of the 50 affected patients was 23-73 years. Out of these, 41 were diabetic. CT/MRI showed predominant involvement of the maxillary (n=26) and ethmoid (n=19) sinuses. Extension of disease to the orbit (n=35), cavernous sinus (n=18), hard palate (n=15), skull base (n=8), and intracranial involvement (n=3) was seen. Perineural spread of the disease was analysed along all divisions of the trigeminal nerve and its branches. MRI showed T2-hypointense soft-tissue thickening with heterogeneous contrast enhancement with corresponding hyperdensities on CT diagnosing the presence of fungal elements. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of IROM post-COVID-19 infection. Conjunctive use of CT, which depicts bone destruction and other reactive bony changes along with MRI, which reveals characteristic findings of soft-tissue thickening of the involved sinuses with extension of disease to the orbits, cavernous sinus, dura, hard palate, skull base, and intracranial structures. Accurate diagnosis and early recognition of the disease and its extension with appropriate use of these techniques helps to initiate appropriate and timely treatment, which is vital to prevent a fatal outcome.

COVID-19 triggering mucormycosis in a susceptible patient: a new phenomenon in the developing world?

A middle-aged woman with diabetes presented with left-sided facial pain, complete ptosis and fever of short duration. On presentation, she had hyperglycaemia without ketosis. There was total ophthalmoplegia of the left eye with a visual acuity of 6/36. She incidentally tested positive for COVID-19. CT paranasal sinus and MRI brain revealed left-sided pansinusitis with acute infarct in the left parieto-occipital region without angioinvasion. An emergency functional endoscopic sinus procedure was done, which confirmed mucormycosis on histopathological examination. After 1 week of conventional amphotericin B and antibiotics, repeat CT brain showed improvement in mucosal thickening and sinusitis. This case is a rare presentation of mucormycosis associated with rapid progression to orbital apex syndrome with brain infarction in a patient with non-ketotic diabetes and COVID-19. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent further end-organ damage. It is also interesting that there was no angioinvasion and transient periarterial inflammation was attributed to brain infarction.