@article {Thornton270, author = {Andrew Thornton and Francesco Fraioli and Simon Wan and Helen S. Garthwaite and Balaji Ganeshan and Robert I. Shortman and Raymond Endozo and Stefan V{\"o}{\"o} and Irfan Kayani and Deena Neriman and Leon Menezes and Jamshed Bomanji and Toby Hilllman and Melissa Heightman and Joanna C. Porter and Ashley M. Groves}, title = {Evolution of 18F-FDG PET/CT Findings in Patients After COVID-19: An Initial Investigation}, volume = {63}, number = {2}, pages = {270--273}, year = {2022}, doi = {10.2967/jnumed.121.262296}, publisher = {Society of Nuclear Medicine}, abstract = {The aim of this study was to assess the temporal evolution of pulmonary 18F-FDG uptake in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and post{\textendash}COVID-19 lung disease (PCLD). Methods: Using our hospital{\textquoteright}s clinical electronic records, we retrospectively identified 23 acute COVID-19, 18 PCLD, and 9 completely recovered 18F-FDG PET/CT patients during the 2 peaks of the U.K. pandemic. Pulmonary 18F-FDG uptake was measured as a lung target-to-background ratio (TBRlung = SUVmax/SUVmin) and compared with temporal stage. Results: In acute COVID-19, less than 3 wk after infection, TBRlung was strongly correlated with time after infection (rs = 0.81, P \< 0.001) and was significantly higher in the late stage than in the early stage (P = 0.001). In PCLD, TBRlung was lower in patients treated with high-dose steroids (P = 0.003) and in asymptomatic patients (P \< 0.001). Conclusion: Pulmonary 18F-FDG uptake in COVID-19 increases with time after infection. In PCLD, pulmonary 18F-FDG uptake rises despite viral clearance, suggesting ongoing inflammation. There was lower pulmonary 18F-FDG uptake in PCLD patients treated with steroids.}, issn = {0161-5505}, URL = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/63/2/270}, eprint = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/63/2/270.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Nuclear Medicine} }