Ancillary findings on high resolution CT chest associated with typical features of COVID-19 pneumonia (Observational descriptive study at a tertiary care hospital).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of ancillary pulmonary signs and their relation to the severity of disease seen on high-resolution computed tomography of chest in patients of coronavirus disease-2019 pneumonia. METHODS: The observational descriptive study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from March to July 2020, and included in place of comprised all coronavirus disease-2019 patients who were found positive on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-and were referred to have high-resolution computed tomography of chest. Ancillary pulmonary findings in addition to typical features of coronavirus disease-2019 pneumonia were recorded. These included vacuole sign, halo sign, reverse halo sign, subpleural white line, subpleural translucent line, microvascular dilatation, fibrotic streaks and bronchiectasis. Relative frequency of these signs were determined for mild versus and severe disease, as determined by the computed tomography severity score. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. RESULTS: Of the 1645 patients, 1286(78.2%) were males and 359(21.8%) were females. The overall mean age was 47.5±15.7 years (range: 1-92). High-resolution computed tomography was normal in 418(25.4%) patients, typical findings for coronavirus disease-2019 were seen in 1110(67.5%), indeterminate in 113(16.9%) and atypical in 4(0.2%). Vacuole sign, subpleural white line, subpleural translucent sign, microvascular dilatation and fibrotic streaks were more commonly seen in severe disease (p<0.001), while discrete pulmonary nodule was identified more in the milder form (p<0.05). Halo and reverse halo signs as well as bronchiectatic changes demonstrated no significant propensity to the degree of disease severity (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus disease-2019 pneumonia demonstrated various ancillary pulmonary features on high resolution computed tomography of the chest in addition to typical findings more commonly described; radiologists should be aware of these signs and their relation to disease severity.

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: Role of MRI.

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Chest CT Severity Score as an Auxiliary Grading Tool to COVID-19 Pneumonia Imaging Classification: A Tertiary Care Experience in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE:   To identify utility of chest computed tomography severity score (CT-SS) as an additional tool to COVID-19 pneumonia imaging classification in assessing severity of COVID-19. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive analytical study Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging, (AFIRI) Rawalpindi, from April 2020 to June 2020. METHODOLOGY: Five hundred suspected COVID-19 cases referred for high resolution computed tomography - chest were included in the study. Cases were categorised by radiological findings using COVID-19 pneumonia imaging classification, proposed in the radiological society of North America expert consensus statement on reporting chest CT findings related to COVID-19. CT-SS was calculated for all scans. Patients were clinically classified according to disease severity as per 'Diagnosis And Treatment Program of Pneumonia of New Coronavirus Infection' recommended by China's National Health Commission. The relationships between radiological findings, CT-SS, and clinical severity were explored. RESULTS: Based on the radiological findings, 298 cases were graded as typical, 34 as indeterminate, 15 as atypical, and 153 as negative for pneumonia. The apical and posterior basal segments of lower lobes were most commonly involved. The CT-SS showed higher values in patients of severe group as compared to those in moderate group (p < 0.05). CT-SS threshold for recognising severe COVID-19 was 18.5 (area under curve, 0.960), with 84.3% sensitivity and 92.5% specificity. CONCLUSION: In coherence with COVID-19 pneumonia imaging classification, CT-SS may provide a comprehensive and objective assessment of COVID-19 severity. Key Words: COVID-19, COVID-19 pneumonia, CT-SS, High resolution computed tomography.

Need for Swift Diagnosis of Primary Angiitis of Central Nervous System: A Case With Focal Motor Seizures of Hand Progressing to Aphasia.

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare disorder and difficult to diagnose. The time period from the presentation of the patient until a diagnosis can be protracted, which may result in further progression of the disease and poor patient outcomes. It has immensely varied symptomatology, further confounding swift diagnosis. We present a case of a 33-year-old male who had focal motor seizures with intact awareness of the right upper limb for three weeks prior to presenting to our hospital with acute right hemiparesis. One month into hospital admission, the patient developed complete motor aphasia while being investigated for the cause of multiple ischemic brain infarcts. The patient underwent immunosuppression along with plasmapheresis and pulse steroid therapy started prophylactically on suspicion of PACNS, which was subsequently confirmed by brain biopsy. Disease remission was achieved with rituximab.

Central Nervous System Vasculitis Secondary to Sarcoidosis: A Rare Case of Lupus Pernio With Complete Occlusion of Right Internal Carotid Artery.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disorder resulting from an inappropriate immune response to ubiquitous environmental stimuli. It has a predilection for African Americans and people of Northern European countries. The classic histology is that of a non-caseating granuloma. Central nervous system involvement is a rare occurrence in sarcoidosis and even in this manifestation, the presence of vasculitis is comparatively uncommon. We present a case of a 35-year-old female, who presented with complaints of persistent headache of moderate intensity and had a violaceous plaque on nose, being treated by a dermatologist. The patient on further workup had mildly raised proteins on cerebrospinal fluid analysis. MRI brain showed multiple foci in bilateral frontoparietal regions and centrum semiovale, while digital subtraction angiography brain depicted vasculitis of small vessels of brain and complete occlusion of right internal carotid artery at its origin. Biopsy of lesion on nose was performed that showed chronic granulomatous inflammation. A diagnosis of brain vasculitis secondary to sarcoidosis was made. The patient was treated with plasmapheresis and pulse steroid therapy initially, and later on with cyclophosphamide and azathioprine. This resulted in resolution of headache and nose lesion.

Transvenous Catheter-Based Thrombolysis With Continuous Tissue Plasminogen Activator Infusion for Refractory Thrombosis in a Patient With Behcet's Disease.

Behcet's disease (BD) classically presents with recurrent oral ulcers, genital ulceration, uveitis and skin manifestations. Middle-aged people are usually affected with the male gender being associated with severe variant of the disease. It can involve any organ system of the body. Although central nervous system and vascular involvement tend to occur less frequently, they are the commonest cause of mortality. We present a case of a 30-year-old man referred with suspicion of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis to our hospital and subsequently diagnosed with BD. The patient developed, despite being on immunosuppression and anticoagulation, extensive arteriovenous thrombi of lower limbs requiring catheter-directed thrombolysis with continuous 24-hour infusion of tissue plasminogen activator for refractory right lower limb venous thrombosis and placement of inferior vena cava filter to prevent pulmonary embolism. Later disease remission was achieved with rituximab.