scholarly journals Early CT imaging markers of COVID-19 progression

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanqing Chen ◽  
Ningning Tang ◽  
Zhao Fu ◽  
Youyong Wei ◽  
Longbai Ma ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Early recognition of patients who are prone to develop severe or critical COVID-19 pneumonia may improve its management and modify its outcome by better treatment regimens.Objective: To investigate Computed Tomography (CT)-based early markers of COVID-19 progression. Material and methods: Thirty-two COVID-19 patients were retrospectively enrolled, including 23 moderate cases who remained moderate until being cured and discharged from hospital, and 9 progressive cases who started with moderate pneumonia and later progressed to severe or critical pneumonia. Clinical and CT data in the early course of disease were reviewed and compared. The association between early features and progression of COVID-19 were analyzed. Results: The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the progression of COVID-19 were significantly associated with older age and higher CT score of the right lower lobe in the early CT images. After adjustment for relevant covariates, the relationship between CT score of the right lower lobe and COVID-19 progression persisted (odds ratio 19.28, 95% confidence interval 1.07 - 348.34).Conclusions: Higher CT Score of the right lower lobe in early images and older age appeared to be promising biomarkers for early prediction of COVID-19 prognosis. Extensive involvement of the right lower lobe at the early stage may suggest a high risk of progression.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 86-92
Author(s):  
Lena Marinova ◽  
Bistra Yordanova ◽  
Nikolay Evgeniev

The pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is extremely rarely lung neoplasm. A woman at the age of 55 with a local advanced pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma of the right lung and CT data on bilateral adrenal metastases and three brain metastases were established. Diagnosis is placed after bronchoscopy with biopsy and detailed pathochistological and immunohistochemical analysis. PSC is extremely malignant and with high risk of distant haematogenic metastases. This rare clinical case support the need for strict pathohistological and immunohistochemical analysis, a difficult pathohistological differential diagnosis with other primary malignant lung tumors and the assessment of complex treatment. In order to improve the healing results and survival of patients, timely diagnosis is required at early stage with surgical treatment and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy and targetеd therapy after genetic analysis of surgery or biopsy tissue material.


2020 ◽  

In recent decades, the thoracoscopic approach has been accepted as the gold standard to treat early stage non-small-cell lung cancer because it reduces postoperative pain and results in a shorter hospital stay. More recently, several techniques for performing sublobar resection have been reported that achieve a radical resection while sparing as much parenchyma as possible. This video tutorial illustrates our technique for resecting the basal segments of the right lower lobe in a patient presenting with an adenocarcinoma in the right lower lobe. The patient also had systemic sclerosis, which led to pulmonary hypertension and fibrosis. Therefore, it was important to limit the parenchymal resection to save the apical segment of the lower lobe so as not to exacerbate the underlying conditions. The vascular and bronchial structures are readily identifiable, and the intersegmental plane can be easily accessed by clamping the associated bronchus while inflating the lung.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Ishii ◽  
Yoshiaki Kinoshita ◽  
Hisako Kushima ◽  
Takashi Ogura ◽  
Kentaro Watanabe

The upward shift of hilar structures is a characteristic finding on chest radiographs in pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE). However, the relationship between the hilar shift and clinical parameters is unclear. In this study, the ratio of the length of the lung apex to the hilum and the length of the apex to the base of the right lung was measured using chest computed tomography (CT) at the time of the diagnosis, and the relationship with clinical parameters was investigated. We also examined the deviations of the trachea on chest radiographs and compared them with those in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and early-stage lung cancer. Thirty-eight PPFE patients in a previous study included 20 patients who simultaneously showed the lower lobe lesions. The median ratio of the length of the apex to the hilum/apex to the base was 0.32 (range: 0.10–0.41) in PPFE, and this value was significantly lower than that in IPF (0.39; 0.32–0.45, n = 38) and in lung cancer (0.41; 0.33 to 0.45, n = 38) (p < 0. 001, respectively). However, the ratio of the length of the apex to the hilum/apex to the base did not correlate with the dyspnea scale, body mass index or pulmonary function in PPFE. Tracheal deviations were observed in 41 out of 52 PPFE patients (36 with rightward deviations, 5 with leftward deviations) and in 30 out of 52 IPF patients (30 with rightward deviations) (p = 0.01). Although the existence of the upward shift of hilar structures on chest images might lead to a diagnosis of PPFE, the extent of hilar elevation does not necessarily reflect disease progression. Tracheal deviation is not a specific finding for PPFE.


2021 ◽  
pp. 028418512110225
Author(s):  
Hideyuki Hayashi ◽  
Kazuto Ashizawa ◽  
Masashi Takahashi ◽  
Katsuya Kato ◽  
Hiroaki Arakawa ◽  
...  

Background Chest radiography (CR) is employed as the evaluation of pneumoconiosis; however, we sometimes encounter cases in which computed tomography (CT) is more effective in detecting subtle pathological changes or cases in which CR yields false-positive results. Purpose To compare CR to CT in the diagnosis of early-stage pneumoconiosis. Material and Methods CR and CT were performed for 132 workers with an occupational history of mining. We excluded 23 cases of arc-welder’s lung. Five readers who were experienced chest radiologists or pulmonologists independently graded the pulmonary small opacities on CR of the remaining 109 cases. We then excluded 37 cases in which the CT data were not sufficient for grading. CT images of the remaining 72 cases were graded by the five readers. We also assessed the degree of pulmonary emphysema in those cases. Results The grade of profusion on CR (CR score) of all five readers was identical in only 5 of 109 cases (4.6%). The CR score coincided with that on CT in 40 of 72 cases (56%). The CT score was higher than that on CR in 13 cases (18%). On the other hand, the CT score was lower than that on CR in 19 cases (26%). The incidence of pulmonary emphysema was significantly higher in patients whose CR score was higher than their CT score. Conclusion CT is more sensitive than CR in the evaluation of early-stage pneumoconiosis. In cases with emphysema, the CR score tends to be higher in comparison to that on CT.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 030006052110106
Author(s):  
Hoda Salah Darwish ◽  
Mohamed Yasser Habash ◽  
Waleed Yasser Habash

Objective To analyze computed tomography (CT) features of symptomatic patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods Ninety-five symptomatic patients with COVID-19 confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction from 1 May to 14 July 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. Follow-up CT findings and their distributions were analyzed and compared from symptom onset to late-stage disease. Results Among all patients, 15.8% had unilateral lung disease and 84.2% had bilateral disease with slight right lower lobe predilection (47.4%). Regarding lesion density, 49.4% of patients had pure ground glass opacity (GGO) and 50.5% had GGO with consolidation. Typical early-stage patterns were bilateral lesions in 73.6% of patients, diffuse lesions (41.0%), and GGO (65.2%). Pleural effusion occurred in 13.6% and mediastinal lymphadenopathy in 11.5%. During intermediate-stage disease, 47.4% of patients showed GGO as the disease progressed; however, consolidation was the predominant finding (52.6%). Conclusion COVID-19 pneumonia manifested on lung CT scans with bilateral, peripheral, and right lower lobe predominance and was characterized by diffuse bilateral GGO progressing to or coexisting with consolidation within 1 to 3 weeks. The most frequent CT lesion in the early, intermediate, and late phases was GGO. Consolidation appeared in the intermediate phase and gradually increased, ending with reticular and lung fibrosis-like patterns.


Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 601
Author(s):  
Robert M. Post ◽  
Heinz Grunze

Childhood onset bipolar disorder (CO-BD) presents a panoply of difficulties associated with early recognition and treatment. CO-BD is associated with a variety of precursors and comorbidities that have been inadequately studied, so treatment remains obscure. The earlier the onset, the longer is the delay to first treatment, and both early onset and treatment delay are associated with more depressive episodes and a poor prognosis in adulthood. Ultra-rapid and ultradian cycling, consistent with a diagnosis of BP-NOS, are highly prevalent in the youngest children and take long periods of time and complex treatment regimens to achieve euthymia. Lithium and atypical antipsychotics are effective in mania, but treatment of depression remains obscure, with the exception of lurasidone, for children ages 10-17. Treatment of the common comorbid anxiety disorders, oppositional defiant disorders, pathological habits, and substance abuse are all poorly studied and are off-label. Cognitive dysfunction after a first manic hospitalization improves over the next year only on the condition that no further episodes occur. Yet comprehensive expert treatment after an initial manic hospitalization results in many fewer relapses than traditional treatment as usual, emphasizing the need for combined pharmacological, psychosocial, and psycho-educational approaches to this difficult and highly recurrent illness.


Author(s):  
Alan G Dawson ◽  
Cathy J Richards ◽  
Leonidas Hadjinikolaou ◽  
Apostolos Nakas

Abstract Metastatic renal cell carcinoma with involvement through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium is very rare. We report the case of a 70-year-old male with metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the right lower lobe of the lung abutting the inferior pulmonary vein with extension to the left atrium without pre-operative evidence. Surgical resection was achieved through a posterolateral thoracotomy. Lung masses that abut the pulmonary veins should prompt further investigation with a pre-operative transoesophageal echocardiogram to minimize unexpected intraoperative findings.


Author(s):  
Angelo de la Rosa ◽  
Manuel Tapia ◽  
Yong Ji ◽  
Basil Saour ◽  
Mikhail Torosoff

Purpose: We hypothesized that advanced circulatory compromise, as manifested by acidosis and hyperkalemia should be associated with worsened clinical outcomes in cardiac arrest patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia. Methods: Results of initial admission laboratory studies, medical history, and echocardiogram in 203 consecutive cardiac arrest patients (59 females, 59+/- 15 years old) undergoing therapeutic hypothermia were reviewed. Mortality was ascertained through hospital records. ANOVA, chi-square, Kaplan-Meier, and logistic regression analyses were used. The study was approved by the institutional IRB. Results: Increased mortality was noted with older age, decreased admission pH, elevated admission lactate, lower admission hemoglobin, and pulseless electrical activity or asystole as presenting rhythms (Table). Admission hypokalemia and ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia were associated with improved hospital mortality (Table). Potassium was significantly lower in patients admitted with ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia (3.897+/-0.92) as compared to patients with asystole (4.674+/-1.377) or pulseless electrical activity (4.491+/-1.055 mEq/dL, p<0.0001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictors of increased hospital mortality included increased admission potassium (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.291-3.170, p=0.002)), older age (OR 1.04, 95%CI 1.007-1.071, p=0.017), admission PEA (OR 3.7, 95%CI 1.358-10.282, p=0.011 when compared to ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia) or asystole (OR 17.2, 95%CI 4.423-66.810, p<0.001 when compared to ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia); while decreased mortality was associated with higher hemoglobin (OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.665-0.997, p=0.047). Conclusions: Hyperkalemia, pulseless electrical activity, and asystole are predictive of increased hospital mortality in survivors of cardiac arrest. An association between low or low-normal potassium, observed VT-VF, and better outcomes is unexpected and may be used for prognostic purposes. More prospective investigations of mortality predictors in these critically ill patients are needed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 1667-1692 ◽  
Author(s):  
PAULINE LEONARD ◽  
ALISON FULLER ◽  
LORNA UNWIN

ABSTRACTThe decision to start a new career might seem an unusual one to make in later life. However, England has seen a steady rise in numbers of workers undertaking an apprenticeship in their fifties and sixties, through a government-funded policy initiative opening up training to adults at all stages of the lifecourse. At the same time, in most Western contexts, the amalgamation of ‘older’ and ‘apprentice’ presents a challenge to normative understandings of the ‘right age’ to undertake vocational training. What is it like to make a new start as an older worker? This paper draws on new qualitative research conducted in England with older apprentices, exploring how they found the experience and management of training ‘out of step’. Inspired by Elizabeth Freeman's temporalities approach, our findings reveal how powerful norms of age-normativity routinely structure understandings, experiences and identities of older-age training for both organisations and apprentices. While these norms demand careful negotiation by both apprentices and trainers, if managed successfully older workers gain significant benefits from their training. These findings have resonance not only for England, but for other international contexts considering expanding vocational training into older age. The paper concludes that if adult training schemes are to succeed, some fundamental changes may need to be made to understandings of age and ageing within contemporary workplaces.


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