RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 MRI Brain Findings in 126 Patients with COVID-19: Initial Observations from a Descriptive Literature Review
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A6805
A1 E. Gulko
A1 M.L. Oleksk
A1 W. Gomes
A1 S. Ali
A1 H. Mehta
A1 P. Overby
A1 F. Al-Mufti
A1 A. Rozenshtein
YR 2020
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/early/2020/09/03/ajnr.A6805.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recently, numerous investigational studies, case series, and case reports have been published describing various MR imaging brain findings in patients with COVID-19. The purpose of this literature review was to compile and analyze brain MR imaging findings in patients with COVID-19-related illness.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature searches of PubMed, publicly available Internet search engines, and medical journal Web sites were performed to identify articles published before May 30, 2020 that described MR imaging brain findings in patients with COVID-19.RESULTS: Twenty-two articles were included in the analysis: 5 investigational studies, 6 case series, and 11 case reports, encompassing MR imaging of the brain in 126 patients. The articles originated from 7 different countries and were published in 14 medical journals. MR imaging brain findings included specific diagnoses (such as acute infarct, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome) or specific imaging features (such as cortical FLAIR signal abnormality, microhemorrhages).CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent diagnoses made on brain MR imaging in patients with COVID-19 were acute and subacute infarcts. Other common findings included a constellation of leukoencephalopathy and microhemorrhages, leptomeningeal contrast enhancement, and cortical FLAIR signal abnormality.COVID-19coronavirus disease 2019PRESposterior reversible encephalopathy syndromeSARS-CoV-2Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2