Unusual Brain MRI Pattern in 2 Patients with COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

S Toledano-Massiah1, N Badat2, A Leberre2

  • 1From the Department of Radiology (S.T.-M., N.B., A.L., S.G., M.Z., J.H.) stoledano@hpsj.fr.

Insights

Two patients with coronavirus disease 2019 showed unique brain MRI findings. Unusual diffusion-weighted imaging patterns with white matter lesions suggest potential neurological complications of COVID-19.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Radiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with diverse clinical manifestations.
  • Neurological complications of COVID-19 are increasingly reported, necessitating further investigation into their underlying mechanisms.

Observation:

  • Two intensive care unit patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection underwent brain Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging.
  • The MR imaging revealed an unusual diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) pattern.

Findings:

  • The DWI pattern demonstrated characteristic nodular and ring-shaped lesions.
  • These lesions were observed in the periventricular and deep white matter regions of the brain.

Implications:

  • These findings suggest a potential link between COVID-19 infection and specific white matter abnormalities.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the pathogenesis of these neurological manifestations and their clinical significance.