Incidental CT findings in the lungs in COVID-19 patients presenting with abdominal pain

Clin Imaging. 2020 Nov:67:1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2020.05.021. Epub 2020 May 28.

Abstract

As the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to spread, some patients are presenting with abdominal symptoms without respiratory complaints. Our case series documents four patients who presented with abdominal symptoms whose abdominopelvic CT revealed incidental pulmonary parenchymal findings in the imaged lung bases and were subsequently confirmed positive for COVID-19 via laboratory testing. It remains to be seen whether these patients will eventually develop respiratory symptoms. While it is possible that the patients' abdominal complaints are coincidental with CT findings, it is interesting that patients can have such extensive incidental disease in the lungs on CT without respiratory symptoms.

Keywords: Abdominal pain; COVID-19; CT abdomen/pelvis; Lung bases; Viral pneumonia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / complications*
  • Adult
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
  • Young Adult