Abstract
PET/CT is an hybrid technique which allows both morfological and metabolical evalutaion. Three different morphometeabolical patterns are presented which reflect the evolutive phases of the COVID-19. This findings may help the clinician determine the correct treatment and security measure that need to be taken aaccording to the phase of the disease.
Keywords: PET/CT, COVID-19, Metabolic features
[18F]FDG-PET/CT performed in three patients with lung cancer demonstrate: A.Axial CT(1), PET(2) and fused PET/CT(3) showed an incidental 46-mm ground-glass opacity (with non-uniform density and air bronchogram), in the superior segment of the right lower lobe with mild diffuse metabolic uptake (SUVmax: 3,9) [1],consistent with probable early phase lung infection of the COVID-19 disease [2]. B. Axial CT(1), PET(2) and fused PET/CT(3) demonstrated a paramedial consolidation and thickened interlobular septa in the lower right lobe [1,3] with high focal [18F]FDG avidity (SUVmax:5,3) suggesting severe infectious process. C. Axial CT(1), PET(2) and fused PET/CT(3) identified bibasal opacities with decreased density and fibrotic stripes [3] which associate an heterogeneous high metabolic uptake (SUVmax:5) [2,4], consistent with COVID-19 in resolution.
The finding of three different metabolic uptake patterns, highlights the utility of [18F]FDG-PET-CT not only to diagnose incidental cases of COVID-19 disease, so security measures can be adopted, but also to distinguish the evolutive situation of it.
Author contribution
All authors contributed equally.
Funding
Not applicable
Consent
Not applicable
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Odile Ajuria-Illarramendi: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing - original draft. Alberto Martinez-Lorca: Resources, Writing - review & editing, Visualization. Maria del Prado Orduña-Diez: Supervision, Project administration.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
References
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