Acute pulmonary embolism mimicking COVID-19 pneumonia

Abstract

The case of 21-year-old man with an asthma history from childhood presenting severe respiratory distress associated with a right lower thoracic pain has been studied. The non-contrast Computed Tomography (CT)-chest scan showed a basal ground-glass opacity (GGO) of the right lung leading to suspicion of COVID-19’s pneumonia. However, the molecular RT-PCR test and blood serology were negative while laboratory analyses revealed high levels of D-dimers (D-D). In addition, two repeated COVID-19 tests were negative. A thoracic CT angiography was disclosed due to the persistence of pain at the lower right thoracic side and hemoptysis that shows a bilateral distal pulmonary embolism with a right-sided basal subsegmental ischemia. We discuss a fortuitous discovery of pulmonary embolism associated with peripheral basal ground-glass opacities similar to radiological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. artery embolism; CT chest angiography; Covid-19; ground-glass opacity; pneumonia; chest pain

“Ground glass opacity” sign in lung diseases: nuances of radiological diagnosis and correct interpretation

“…Кро вотечение появляется вторично изза гемодинами ческих изменений в капиллярном кровотоке либо патологических изменений в альвеолярной стенке, которые приводят к накоплению гемосидерина в аль веолярных пространствах [59]. На КТ выявляется мозаичным или диффузным уплотнением по типу «матового стек ла», в подострых случаях определяет ся утолщение междольковых перегородок, симптом «сумасшедшей ретикулярной исчерченности» (crazy paving sign) [25,60,61].…”