RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Brain Imaging of Patients with COVID-19: Findings at an Academic Institution during the Height of the Outbreak in New York City
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 2001
OP 2008
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A6793
VO 41
IS 11
A1 Lin, E.
A1 Lantos, J.E.
A1 Strauss, S.B.
A1 Phillips, C.D.
A1 Campion, T.R.
A1 Navi, B.B.
A1 Parikh, N.S.
A1 Merkler, A.E.
A1 Mir, S.
A1 Zhang, C.
A1 Kamel, H.
A1 Cusick, M.
A1 Goyal, P.
A1 Gupta, A.
YR 2020
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/41/11/2001.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A large spectrum of neurologic disease has been reported in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Our aim was to investigate the yield of neuroimaging in patients with COVID-19 undergoing CT or MR imaging of the brain and to describe associated imaging findings.MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study involving 2054 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 presenting to 2 hospitals in New York City between March 4 and May 9, 2020, of whom 278 (14%) underwent either CT or MR imaging of the brain. All images initially received a formal interpretation from a neuroradiologist within the institution and were subsequently reviewed by 2 neuroradiologists in consensus, with disputes resolved by a third neuroradiologist.RESULTS: The median age of these patients was 64 years (interquartile range, 50–75 years), and 43% were women. Among imaged patients, 58 (21%) demonstrated acute or subacute neuroimaging findings, the most common including cerebral infarctions (11%), parenchymal hematomas (3.6%), and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (1.1%). Among the 51 patients with MR imaging examinations, 26 (51%) demonstrated acute or subacute findings; notable findings included 6 cases of cranial nerve abnormalities (including 4 patients with olfactory bulb abnormalities) and 3 patients with a microhemorrhage pattern compatible with critical illness–associated microbleeds.CONCLUSIONS: Our experience confirms the wide range of neurologic imaging findings in patients with COVID-19 and suggests the need for further studies to optimize management for these patients.ACE2angiotensin converting enzyme 2COVID-19coronavirus disease 2019MFSMiller Fisher syndromePRESposterior reversible encephalopathy syndromeSARS-CoV-2Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2