(18)F-FDG PET-CT incidental lung findings in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients: evidences from the Italian core of the first pandemic peak

OBJECTIVE(S): To illustrate incidental (18)F-FDG PET-CT findings and related CT alterations of suspicious pulmonary interstitial involvement in asymptomatic oncologic patients during the first COVID-19 outbreak in the core of Italian peak. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the (18)F-FDG PET-CT follow-up examinations performed during the first Italian COVID-19 outbreak (March 3rd-April 15th, 2020) in 10 asymptomatic oncologic patients with a highly suspicious interstitial pulmonary involvement on CT. Six cases were confirmed SARS-CoV-2 by molecular tests. The following parameters were assessed: 1) lung involvement on co-registration CT as extension (laterality, number of lobes), pattern (ground-glass opacities/GGO, consolidations, mixed) and stage (early, progressive, peak, and absorption); 2) the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV(max)) of lung lesions on (18)F-FDG PET. RESULTS: The involved lobes were 5 in 5 cases (3 confirmed SARS-CoV-2), 2-4 in 4 cases and 1 in 1 case. GGO were found in all patients; 3 cases also showed a combination of GGO and peripheral consolidations (mixed). Five cases were suggestive for an early stage of interstitial pneumonia, 4 for progressive and 1 for peak. All the lung lesions showed increased FDG uptake. In early stages SUV(max )ranged from 1.5 to 11, in progressive from 3.3 to 6.8, in peak from 2.4 to 7.7. SUV(max) ranged 1.5-11 in patients with only GGO and 2.8-7.7 in those with mixed pattern. CONCLUSIONS: (18)F-FDG PET-CT findings in suspected COVID-19 pulmonary involvement of asymptomatic oncologic patients showed an increase in FDG uptake of GGO and consolidations, but with a wide and apparently nonspecific range of SUV(max) values.