Clinical nuclear medicine
-
Clinical nuclear medicine · Aug 2020
Case ReportsAtypical Presentation of COVID-19 Incidentally Detected at 18F-FDG PET/CT in an Asymptomatic Oncological Patient.
The incidence of COVID-19, a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2, is rapidly growing worldwide. In this pandemic period, the chance of incidental pulmonary findings suggestive of COVID-19 at F-FDG PET/CT in asymptomatic oncological patients is not negligible. ⋯ We describe the incidental PET/CT detection of an F-FDG-avid isolated centrilobular pulmonary consolidation in an asymptomatic lymphoma patient, which later resulted in an unexpected and atypical COVID-19 presentation. The nuclear medicine physicians should be prepared to suspect COVID-19 even in asymptomatic patients presenting with a "far-from-COVID-19" finding at PET/CT.
-
Clinical nuclear medicine · Aug 2020
Case Reports18F-FDG PET/CT Metabolic Behavior of COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Series of 4 Patients With RT-PCR Confirmation.
Between March 26 and April 6, among 80 patients who underwent F-FDG PET/CT in our department (Brescia, Italy), 4 showed the presence of an interstitial pneumonia suspected for COVID-19 with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction confirmation. All patients except one had bilateral ground-glass opacities and/or lung consolidations in at least 2 pulmonary lobes. Inferior lobes and basal segments were the most frequent site of disease. All lung lesions had an increased FDG uptake corresponding to the interstitial pneumonia, and in one case, mediastinal nodal involvement was registered.
-
Clinical nuclear medicine · Aug 2020
Case ReportsLaboratory-Proven Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection on 18F-FDG PET/CT.
An 87-year-old man with primary salivary duct carcinoma and hepatic metastases was referred for restaging. F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated new FDG-avid ground-glass opacities with intralobular septal thickening in both lungs with a peripheral dominant distribution. ⋯ However, the patient tested positive for COVID-19 using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. This case demonstrates that even asymptomatic outpatients undergoing PET/CT should be evaluated for radiologic findings suggestive of COVID-19 during this pandemic.
-
An 85-year-old woman with history of melanoma is referred for a follow-up F-FDG PET/CT. F-FDG PET/CT scan showed bilateral and peripheral ground-glass opacities in upper and lower pulmonary lobes surrounded by consolidations of crescent shape with increased FDG uptake, findings compatible with organizing pneumonia. Following further inquiry, the patient reported low-grade fever, sore throat, and fatigue for the past 6 days. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the patient was tested for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), which resulted positive.
-
A 73-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and no known malignancies was evaluated for back pain. MR examination showed lumbar spine compression fractures, and an F-FDG PET/CT scan was requested to assess for skeletal metastatic disease and potential detection of a primary neoplasm. The PET/CT examination revealed scattered FDG-avid pulmonary opacities with upper lobe preponderance highly suspicious for COVID-19. Real-time polymerase chain reaction testing of nasopharyngeal swabs confirmed the diagnosis.