Study to assess aetiology, clinical and imaging characteristics of post Covid-19 pulmonary cavitation
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2025
Lung CT Segmentation to Identify Consolidations and Ground Glass Areas for Quantitative Assesment of SARS-CoV Pneumonia
Published on: December 19, 2020
Deependra Kumar Rai1, Rajeev K Priyadarshi2, Saurabh Karmaker1
1Department of Pulmonary Medicine, AIIMS Patna, Bihar, India.
Objective:
The aim of this study is to determine the aetiology and characteristics of pulmonary cavities that developed in patients recovering from COVID-19 infection.
Materials And Methods:
Between 1st May 2021 and 30st June 2021, we found 9 post COVID-19 patients who developed lung cavities on chest radiograph or CT during the follow-up period. These patients underwent routine blood examination, sputum examination and bronchoscopy to identify the aetiologies for the lung cavities.
Results:
The duration from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms to the detection of lung cavities ranged from 18 to 82 days. Out of 7 patients, 4 had recovered from severe COVID-19 disease, 2 from moderate and 1 from mild disease. After the diagnostic workup, 5 patients were found to have COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), 1 patient with mucormycosis and 1 patient with mycobacterium infection. Two patients with CAPA also had bacterial infection; sputum culture from both these patients grew Klebsiella pneumonia.
Conclusion:
Lung cavities can develop in patients recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia and fungal infection is the most common cause for such cavities.
Related Concept Videos
01:20COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
01:29Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
01:27Pneumothorax-II
Clinical Manifestations:
01:29Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation