• Laura Cosma, Saadi Sollaku, Viviana Frantellizzi, and Giuseppe De Vincentis.
• Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology, and Anatomical Pathology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
• J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol. 2020 Oct 1; 64 (5): 671-673.

AbstractWe report the case of who has been hospitalized complaining about fever in the last 4 days. Laboratory data revealed lymphocytopenia and leucopenia with an elevation of C-reactive protein and positive real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Six days before this hospitalization, when the patient was asymptomatic, 18 F-FDG PET/CT images were performed for the therapeutic control of liver metastases of colorectal cancer. Lung abnormality findings at 18 F-FDG PET/CT images, unrelated to cancer metastases, but suspicious for viral infection, may suggest the presence of COVID-19 disease in its early phase before symptoms onset. Since PET/CT is more sensitive than CT scan in detecting host's reaction, the added value of this technique could be monitoring disease progression and could be used as a biomarker of lung disease activity and therefore as an important tool for a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the progression of lung disease.© 2020 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

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