Signs of tracheobronchitis may constitute the principal finding on the lung SPECT/CT images of COVID-19 patients.

Bahloul, Achraf; Verger, Antoine; Mandry, Damien; Jeulin, Hélène; Goehringer, François; Karcher, Gilles; Imbert, Laetitia; Marie, Pierre-Yves · Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging · 2021

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the rates of tracheobronchitis signs observed on the ventilation scans of COVID-19 patients with shortness of breath, with comparisons to a non-COVID population. Lung scintigraphy was collected in 10 such COVID patients, as well as from a non-COVID population investigated outside the epidemic wave period, on a CZT-SPECT/CT system, with ventilation images recorded with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-labeled Technegas® and perfusion images with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-labeled albumin macroaggregates. A diffuse tracheobronchial uptake was observed on the ventilation scans from 3 COVID patients (30%), whereas this rate was 3% (3/90) in the non-COVID group (P = 0.013). These 3 patients had no laryngeal extension of Technegas® uptake and limited parenchymal lung abnormalities. Follow-up scintigraphy demonstrated the withdrawal of tracheobronchitis signs in two cases, and the advent of a severe pulmonary embolism in one. Signs of tracheobronchitis may constitute the principal finding on lung SPECT/CT images of COVID-19 patients with shortness of breath.

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