A case–control evaluation of pulmonary and extrapulmonary findings of incidental asymptomatic COVID-19 infection on FDG PET-CT

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the findings of incidental asymptomatic COVID-19 infection on FDG PET-CT using a case-control design. Methods: Incidental pulmonary findings suspicious of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection on FDG PET-CT were classified as a confirmed (positive RT-PCR test) or suspected case (no/negative RT-PCR test). Control cases were identified using a 4:1 control:case ratio. Pulmonary findings were re-categorised by two reporters using the BSTI classification. SUV metrics in ground glass opacification (GGO)/consolidation (where present), background lung, intrathoracic nodes, liver, spleen, and bone marrow were measured. Results: 7/9 confirmed and 11/15 suspected cases (COVID-19 group) were re-categorised as BSTI 1 (classic/probable COVID-19) or BSTI 2 (indeterminate COVID-19); 0/96 control cases were categorised as BSTI 1. Agreement between two reporters using the BSTI classification was almost perfect (weighted κ = 0.94). SUVmax GGO/consolidation (5.1 vs 2.2; p < 0.0001) and target-to-background ratio, normalised to liver SUVmean(2.4 vs 1.0; p < 0.0001) were higher in the BSTI 1 & two group vs BSTI 3 (non-COVID-19) cases. SUVmax GGO/consolidation discriminated between the BSTI 1 & two group and BSTI 3 (non-COVID-19) cases with high accuracy (AUC = 0.93). SUV metrics were higher (p < 0.05) in the COVID-19 group vs control cases in the lungs, intrathoracic nodes, and spleen. Conclusion: Asymptomatic COVID-19 infection on FDG PET-CT is characterised by bilateral areas of FDG avid (intensity > x2 liver SUVmean) GGO/consolidation and can be identified with high interobserver agreement using the BSTI classification. There is generalised background inflammation within the lungs, intrathoracic nodes, and spleen. Advances in knowledge: Incidental asymptomatic COVID-19 infection on FDG PET-CT, characterised by bilateral areas of ground glass opacification and consolidation, can be identified with high reproducibility using the BSTI classification. The intensity of associated FDG uptake (>x2 liver SUVmean) provides high discriminative ability in differentiating such cases from pulmonary findings in a non-COVID-19 pattern. Asymptomatic COVID-19 infection causes a generalised background inflammation within the mid-lower zones of the lungs, hilar and central mediastinal nodal stations, and spleen on FDG PET-CT. A case-control evaluation of pulmonary and extrapulmonary findings of incidental asymptomatic COVID-19 infection on FDG PET-CT.

COVID-19: Findings in nuclear medicine from head to toe

“…Increased FDG uptake in the spleen, the largest organ of the lymphatic system, has been described in studies involving asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 patients, with Dietz et al reporting mild increase in FDG uptake in 38% of patients admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia, a finding which might be explained by systemic inflammatory response 42. , 88. .…”