Early 18F-FDG PET/CT in COVID-19

Abstract

We report the case of who has been hospitalized complaining about fever in the last 4 days. Laboratory data revealed lymphocytopenia and leucopenia with an elevation of C-reactive protein and positive real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Six days before this hospitalization, when the patient was asymptomatic, 18F-FDG PET/CT images were performed for the therapeutic control of liver metastases of colorectal cancer. Lung abnormality findings at 18F-FDG PET/CT images, unrelated to cancer metastases, but suspicious for viral infection, may suggest the presence of COVID-19 disease in its early phase before symptoms onset. Since PET/CT is more sensitive than CT scan in detecting host’s reaction, the added value of this technique could be monitoring disease progression and could be used as a biomarker of lung disease activity and therefore as an important tool for a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the progression of lung disease.