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Dual-Energy Computed Tomography of the Lung in COVID-19 Patients: Mismatch of Perfusion Defects and Pulmonary Opacities

Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diagnostics 2020, 10(11), 870; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics10110870
Received: 19 September 2020 / Revised: 14 October 2020 / Accepted: 23 October 2020 / Published: 26 October 2020
(This article belongs to the Section Medical Imaging and Theranostics)
To evaluate contrast-enhanced dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) chest examinations regarding pulmonary perfusion patterns and pulmonary opacities in patients with confirmed COVID-19 disease. Fourteen patients with 24 DECT examinations performed between April and May 2020 were included in this retrospective study. DECT studies were assessed independently by two radiologists regarding pulmonary perfusion defects, using a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 4. Furthermore, in all imaging studies the extent of pulmonary opacities was quantified using the same rating system as for perfusion defects. The main pulmonary findings were ground glass opacities (GGO) in all 24 examinations and pulmonary consolidations in 22 examinations. The total lung scores after the addition of the scores of the single lobes showed significantly higher values of opacities compared to perfusion defects, with a median of 12 (9–18) for perfusion defects and a median of 17 (15–19) for pulmonary opacities (p = 0.002). Furthermore, mosaic perfusion patterns were found in 19 examinations in areas with and without GGO. Further studies will be necessary to investigate the pathophysiological background of GGO with maintained perfusion compared to GGO with reduced perfusion, especially regarding long-term lung damage and prognosis. View Full-Text
Keywords: dual energy; computed tomography; COVID-19; coronavirus; perfusion; opacity; consolidation; lung dual energy; computed tomography; COVID-19; coronavirus; perfusion; opacity; consolidation; lung
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MDPI and ACS Style

Afat, S.; Othman, A.E.; Nikolaou, K.; Gassenmaier, S. Dual-Energy Computed Tomography of the Lung in COVID-19 Patients: Mismatch of Perfusion Defects and Pulmonary Opacities. Diagnostics 2020, 10, 870. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics10110870

AMA Style

Afat S, Othman AE, Nikolaou K, Gassenmaier S. Dual-Energy Computed Tomography of the Lung in COVID-19 Patients: Mismatch of Perfusion Defects and Pulmonary Opacities. Diagnostics. 2020; 10(11):870. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics10110870

Chicago/Turabian Style

Afat, Saif, Ahmed E. Othman, Konstantin Nikolaou, and Sebastian Gassenmaier. 2020. "Dual-Energy Computed Tomography of the Lung in COVID-19 Patients: Mismatch of Perfusion Defects and Pulmonary Opacities" Diagnostics 10, no. 11: 870. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics10110870

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