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Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy in COVID-19.
Igor Vladimirovich Vasilev1, Igor Sergeevich Mamenko2, Anna Valerievna Makarova1
1Saint-Petersburg State Research Institute of Phthisiopulmonology, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation.
Advances in Respiratory Medicine
|July 16, 2021
Summary
Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) provides microscopic lung imaging during bronchoscopy. This case reveals unique pCLE findings in a patient diagnosed with COVID-19, offering new insights into the disease.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Medical Imaging
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) enables in-situ microscopic visualization of lung tissue during bronchoscopy.
- Diagnosing COVID-19 typically relies on nasopharyngeal swabs and PCR analysis, but challenges can arise in specific patient presentations.
Observation:
- A patient with suspected lung cancer and negative nasopharyngeal swabs underwent pCLE.
- pCLE imaging was performed during bronchoscopy to investigate the lung condition.
Findings:
- COVID-19 was confirmed via PCR analysis of lavage fluid and transbronchial biopsy.
- pCLE images demonstrated thickened alveolar fibers, disorganized elastin networks, and significant intra-alveolar secretions.
Implications:
- This represents the first reported pCLE imaging findings in a patient with COVID-19.
- pCLE may offer novel insights into the microstructural changes associated with COVID-19 in the lungs.
- Further research could explore pCLE's role in diagnosing or characterizing pulmonary complications of viral infections.
