FDG-PET/CT findings highly suspicious for COVID-19 in an Italian case series of asymptomatic patients.
Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging
; 47(7): 1649-1656, 2020 07.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-125273
ABSTRACT
AIM:
To illustrate the [18F]FDG-PET/CT findings in patients affected by cancer with clinical diagnosis of Covid-19METHODS:
We retrospectively reviewed the cases of patients who showed pulmonary involvement unrelated to cancer metastases on March 13 and 16 2020. We reviewed the scans, collected medical history, and exposure information.RESULTS:
Among the 13 scans, we identified 5 cases with imaging findings suspicious for viral infection. Peripheral lung consolidations and/or ground-glass opacities in two or more lobes were found. Lung abnormalities displayed increased [18F]FDG uptake (SUVmax 4.3-11.3). All the patients on the day of PET/CT acquisition were asymptomatic, and they did not have fever or cough. In view of the PET/CT findings, home isolation, symptom surveillance, and treatment (in 3/5 patients) were indicated. At 1-week follow-up, 2/5 patients experienced the onset of mild respiratory symptoms.CONCLUSIONS:
The [18F]FDG-PET/CT can identify probable Covid-19 disease in the absence or before symptoms onset and can guide patient management. Nuclear medicine staff needs to be aware of the possibility of contact with patients affected by the SARS-CoV-2 infection even if they do not present any symptom. Therefore, safety measures need to be adopted for other patients and hospital staff in order to block the spread of infection.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Lung
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging
Journal subject:
Nuclear Medicine
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S00259-020-04819-6
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