You Only Find What You Look for: Anchor Bias During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an immune-mediated syndrome caused by allergen inhalation. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of HP usually shows diffuse ground-glass opacities, but can show centrilobular ground-glass nodules, areas of air-trapping, or fibrotic changes. The clinical presentation of HP as well as the imaging findings can resemble coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. This resemblance, in the absence of a high level of suspicion for other etiologies, led to anchor bias and delayed diagnosis in the case presented here.