%0 Journal Article %A Andrew Thornton %A Francesco Fraioli %A Simon Wan %A Helen S. Garthwaite %A Balaji Ganeshan %A Robert I. Shortman %A Raymond Endozo %A Stefan Vöö %A Irfan Kayani %A Deena Neriman %A Leon Menezes %A Jamshed Bomanji %A Toby Hilllman %A Melissa Heightman %A Joanna C. Porter %A Ashley M. Groves %T Evolution of 18F-FDG PET/CT Findings in Patients After COVID-19: An Initial Investigation %D 2022 %R 10.2967/jnumed.121.262296 %J Journal of Nuclear Medicine %P 270-273 %V 63 %N 2 %X 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–COVID-19 lung disease (PCLD). Methods: Using our hospital’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. %U https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/jnumed/63/2/270.full.pdf