Clinical nuclear medicine
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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.
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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.
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Clinical nuclear medicine · Aug 2020
Case ReportsFDG PET/CT Findings in an Asymptomatic Case of Confirmed COVID-19.
In the current and rapidly worsening pandemic, patients with COVID-19 may undergo imaging with FDG PET/CT. Because a significant proportion of infected patients may be asymptomatic, incidental discovery on a PET/CT scan performed for unrelated reasons can occur. Because of the highly infectious nature of this agent, it is important that interpreting physicians be aware of the typical imaging findings to identify potentially affected patients. We present the case of an asymptomatic patient referred for FDG PET/CT imaging of a lung nodule who demonstrated the typical CT findings of COVID-19 infection and was subsequently found to be positive on testing.
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Clinical nuclear medicine · Aug 2020
Case ReportsFDG PET/CT in Diagnosing COVID-19 Infection in a Cancer Patient With Exposure History But Minimal Symptoms.
A 56-year-old woman with high-grade neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma had known contact history of COVID-19 about 16 days prior to the restaging PET/CT. The patient was instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days, and no COVID-19 test was performed. ⋯ The FDG PET/CT images revealed new multifocal hypermetabolic bilateral pulmonary ground-glass opacities that are suggestive of COVID-19 pneumonia. Meanwhile, the patient's symptoms worsened, and a blood test later confirmed COVID-19 infection.
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Clinical nuclear medicine · Aug 2020
Case ReportsIncidental Discovery of a COVID-19 Infection on a Reevaluation FDG PET/CT in a Patient Treated for Hodgkin Lymphoma.
We report the results of F-FDG PET/CT in an asymptomatic case of COVID-19 infection. A 27-year-old woman underwent FDG PET/CT for revaluation of a stage IIIE B Hodgkin lymphoma after the fourth cycle of chemotherapy. ⋯ The patient who was initially asymptomatic was admitted for fever 28 hours after the PET/CT. The nasopharyngeal swab was positive for COVID-19, and the outcome was favorable.