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COVID pneumonia and recovery

Case contributed by Ian Bickle
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Shortness of breath. COVID?

Patient Data

Age: 70 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

Median sternotomy.

Minor peripheral airspace change in both mid zones.

3 days later More breathless

x-ray

Median sternotomy.

Minor peripheral airspace change in both mid and lower zones.  It is a little more pronounced than on the film 3 days prior.

Another 3 days later....

x-ray

Another 3 days later. Increasing oxygen requirements.

Median sternotomy.

The peripheral airspace changes have progressed further with now only the lung apices spared.

Another 10 days later

ct

Extensive parenchymal changes are seen bilaterally, predominantly in both lower lobes and peripherally with a pattern predominantly of organizing pneumonia (lobular sparing and fuzzy arcades in patches with distortion of airways). The apical segments of both upper lobes are relatively spared.

No pleural effusion or empyema. No significant mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

3 months later

x-ray

Median sternotomy.

Lungs clear.

Case Discussion

A longitudinal radiographic illustration of COVID-19 pneumonia from the initial admission and progressive changes in the lungs to complete resolution more than 3 months later.

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