COVID-19 pneumonia detected by [18F]FDG PET/MRI: a case with negative antigen test and chest X-ray results

Abstract

Since the outbreak of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) named Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China, researchers have reported the fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (FDG PET/CT) manifestations of COVID-19 infection. We present a 37-year-old female with early-stage cervical cancer and fever without a focus who had negative SARS-CoV-2 antigen test and chest X-ray results. FDG PET/MRI performed for preoperative evaluation incidentally detected pneumonia showing high FDG uptake and diffusion-weighted imaging signals in right lung base. She retested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and was diagnosed as having COVID-19 pneumonia. Whole-body PET/MRI can provide multi functional images and could be useful for evaluating the pathophysiology of COVID-19.