SARS-CoV-2 reinfection: “New baseline” imaging concept in the era of COVID-19

Recent reports have suggested COVID-19 relapse or reinfection may lead to readmission, which may cause a diagnostic challenge between recently infected patients and reinfections. Compounding this problem is the post-viral lung sequela that may be expected after COVID-19 pneumonia, similar to both SARS and MERS. Although chest imaging may play a role in the diagnosis of primary SARS-CoV-2 infection, reinfection or relapse of COVID-19 will have similar imaging findings. A “new-baseline” imaging can be obtained from COVID-19 patients at the time of hospital discharge or clinical recovery. This new reference can not only determine if readmissions are from relapse or reinfection of COVID-19, resolving COVID-19 or potentially a different viral infection (influenza), but also for long term sequela of COVID-19 lung infection. Strategic use of imaging before discharge may be helpful in the subset of the population at the highest risk of a secondary viral infection such as influenza. Determining the residual abnormalities in post-discharge imaging can guide us in the long-term management of patients for many years to come.