COVID-19 pneumonia

Case contributed by Domenico Nicoletti
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Fever, cough, breathing difficulties for about ten days.

Patient Data

Age: 70 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

Vertical air space consolidation along the left costal margin.

ct

There are large areas of ground glass opacities in the lower right lobe, in the upper lobes, with interlobular septal thickening in the subpleural area. Paraseptal emphysema is present in the upper lobes. No evidence of mediastinal adenopathy.

pathology

Cytological report showing positivity for SARS-CoV-2 in a nasopharyngeal aspirate using the confirmatory reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.

Case Discussion

In the right clinical context large ground-grass opacity lesions, predominantly in the peripheral and posterior lungs on CT, are diagnostic of COVID-19 pneumonia. Note the absence of mediastinal adenopathy which is not usually seen in COVID-19 and should suggest the presence of superadded infection, e.g. bacterial pneumonia.

Case courtesy: Dr ssa Sandra Pennacchini

How to use cases

You can use Radiopaedia cases in a variety of ways to help you learn and teach.

Creating your own cases is easy.