International Journal of Infectious Diseases (Apr 2020)

2019-novel Coronavirus severe adult respiratory distress syndrome in two cases in Italy: An uncommon radiological presentation

  • Fabrizio Albarello,
  • Elisa Pianura,
  • Federica Di Stefano,
  • Massimo Cristofaro,
  • Ada Petrone,
  • Luisa Marchioni,
  • Claudia Palazzolo,
  • Vincenzo Schininà,
  • Emanuele Nicastri,
  • Nicola Petrosillo,
  • Paolo Campioni,
  • Petersen Eskild,
  • Alimuddin Zumla,
  • Giuseppe Ippolito,
  • Maria Alessandra Abbonizio,
  • Chiara Agrati,
  • Fabrizio Albarello,
  • Gioia Amadei,
  • Alessandra Amendola,
  • Mario Antonini,
  • Raffaella Barbaro,
  • Barbara Bartolini,
  • Martina Benigni,
  • Nazario Bevilacqua,
  • Licia Bordi,
  • Veronica Bordoni,
  • Marta Branca,
  • Paolo Campioni,
  • Maria Rosaria Capobianchi,
  • Cinzia Caporale,
  • Ilaria Caravella,
  • Fabrizio Carletti,
  • Concetta Castilletti,
  • Roberta Chiappini,
  • Carmine Ciaralli,
  • Francesca Colavita,
  • Angela Corpolongo,
  • Massimo Cristofaro,
  • Salvatore Curiale,
  • Alessandra D’Abramo,
  • Cristina Dantimi,
  • Alessia De Angelis,
  • Giada De Angelis,
  • Rachele Di Lorenzo,
  • Federica Di Stefano,
  • Federica Ferraro,
  • Lorena Fiorentini,
  • Andrea Frustaci,
  • Paola Gallì,
  • Gabriele Garotto,
  • Maria Letizia Giancola,
  • Filippo Giansante,
  • Emanuela Giombini,
  • Maria Cristina Greci,
  • Giuseppe Ippolito,
  • Eleonora Lalle,
  • Simone Lanini,
  • Daniele Lapa,
  • Luciana Lepore,
  • Andrea Lucia,
  • Franco Lufrani,
  • Manuela Macchione,
  • Alessandra Marani,
  • Luisa Marchioni,
  • Andrea Mariano,
  • Maria Cristina Marini,
  • Micaela Maritti,
  • Giulia Matusali,
  • Silvia Meschi,
  • Francesco Messina Chiara Montaldo,
  • Silvia Murachelli,
  • Emanuele Nicastri,
  • Roberto Noto,
  • Claudia Palazzolo,
  • Emanuele Pallini,
  • Virgilio Passeri,
  • Federico Pelliccioni,
  • Antonella Petrecchia,
  • Ada Petrone,
  • Nicola Petrosillo,
  • Elisa Pianura,
  • Maria Pisciotta,
  • Silvia Pittalis,
  • Costanza Proietti,
  • Vincenzo Puro,
  • Gabriele Rinonapoli,
  • Martina Rueca,
  • Alessandra Sacchi,
  • Francesco Sanasi,
  • Carmen Santagata,
  • Silvana Scarcia,
  • Vincenzo Schininà,
  • Paola Scognamiglio,
  • Laura Scorzolini,
  • Giulia Stazi,
  • Francesco Vaia,
  • Francesco Vairo,
  • Maria Beatrice Valli

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 93
pp. 192 – 197

Abstract

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Introduction: Several recent case reports have described common early chest imaging findings of lung pathology caused by 2019 novel Coronavirus (SARS-COV2) which appear to be similar to those seen previously in SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infected patients. Objective: We present some remarkable imaging findings of the first two patients identified in Italy with COVID-19 infection travelling from Wuhan, China. The follow-up with chest X-Rays and CT scans was also included, showing a progressive adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Results: Moderate to severe progression of the lung infiltrates, with increasing percentage of high-density infiltrates sustained by a bilateral and multi-segmental extension of lung opacities, were seen. During the follow-up, apart from pleural effusions, a tubular and enlarged appearance of pulmonary vessels with a sudden caliber reduction was seen, mainly found in the dichotomic tracts, where the center of a new insurgent pulmonary lesion was seen. It could be an early alert radiological sign to predict initial lung deterioration. Another uncommon element was the presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy with short-axis oval nodes. Conclusions: Although only two patients have been studied, these findings are consistent with the radiological pattern described in literature. Finally, the pulmonary vessels enlargement in areas where new lung infiltrates develop in the follow-up CT scan, could describe an early predictor radiological sign of lung impairment. Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-COV2, CT-scan, Ground glass opacities, Crazy-paving, Enlarged pulmonary vessels