RT Journal Article T1 [18F]FDG PET/CT in Short-Term Complications of COVID-19: Metabolic Markers of Persistent Inflammation and Impaired Respiratory Function. A1 Triviño-Ibañez, Eva Maria A1 Jimenez-Rodriguez, Beatriz Maria A1 Rudolphi-Solero, Teodoro A1 Garcia-Rivero, Encarnación Yolanda A1 Rodriguez-Fernandez, Antonio A1 Llamas-Elvira, Jose Manuel A1 Gomez-Rio, Manuel A1 Morales-Garcia, Concepcion K1 COVID-19 K1 SARS-CoV-2 K1 [18F]FDG-PET/CT K1 complications K1 inflammatory K1 respiratory function test AB SARS-CoV-2 virus infects organs other than the lung, such as mediastinal lymph nodes, spleen, and liver, but, to date, metabolic imaging studies obtained in short-term follow-ups of patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 infection are rare. Our objective was to evaluate the usefulness of [18F]FDG-PET/CT in the short-term follow-up of patients admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia and to explore the association of the findings with clinical prognostic markers. The prospective study included 20 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (November 2020-March 2021). Clinical and laboratory test findings were gathered at admission, 48-72 h post-admission, and 2-3 months post-discharge, when [18F]FDG-PET/CT and respiratory function tests were performed. Lung volumes, spirometry, lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and respiratory muscle strength were measured. Volumetric [18F]FDG-PET/CT results were correlated with laboratory and respiratory parameters. Eleven [18F]FDG-PET/CT (55%) were positive, with hypermetabolic mediastinal lymphadenopathy in 90.9%. Mediastinal lesion's SUVpeak was correlated with white cells' count. Eleven (55%) patients had impaired respiratory function, including reduced DLCO (35%). SUVpeak was correlated with %predicted-DLCO. TLG was negatively correlated with %predicted-DLCO and TLC. In the short-term follow-up of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, [18F]FDG-PET/CT findings revealed significant detectable inflammation in lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes that correlated with pulmonary function impairment in more than half of the patients. PB MDPI AG SN 2075-4418 YR 2022 FD 2022-03-24 LK http://hdl.handle.net/10668/20960 UL http://hdl.handle.net/10668/20960 LA en NO Triviño-Ibáñez EM, Jiménez-Rodríguez BM, Rudolphi-Solero T, García-Rivero EY, Rodríguez-Fernández A, et al. [18F]FDG PET/CT in Short-Term Complications of COVID-19: Metabolic Markers of Persistent Inflammation and Impaired Respiratory Function. Diagnostics (Basel). 2022 Mar 29;12(4):835. DS RISalud RD Apr 10, 2025