COVID-19-Associated Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis: A Single Tertiary Care Center Experience of Imaging Findings With a Special Focus on Intracranial Manifestations and Pathways of Intracranial Spread.

ABSTRACT

Background and objective The COVID-19 pandemic and mucormycosis epidemic in India made research on the radiological findings of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis imperative. This study aims to describe the imaging findings in COVID-19-associated mucormycosis, with a special focus on the intracranial manifestations.  Methodology Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of all patients with laboratory-proven mucormycosis and post-COVID-19 status, for two months, at an Indian Tertiary Care Referral Centre, were retrospectively reviewed, and descriptive statistical analysis was carried out. Results A total of 58 patients (47 men, 81%, and 11 women, 19%) were evaluated. Deranged blood glucose levels were observed in 47 (81%) cases. The intracranial invasion was detected in 31 (53.4%) patients. The most common finding in cases with intracranial invasion was pachymeningeal enhancement (28/31, 90.3%). This was followed by infarcts (17/31, 55%), cavernous sinus thrombosis (11/58, 18.9%), fungal abscesses (11/31, 35.4%), and intracranial hemorrhage (5/31, 16.1% cases). The perineural spread was observed in 21.6% (11/51) cases. Orbital findings included extraconal fat and muscle involvement, intraconal involvement, orbital apicitis, optic neuritis, panophthalmitis, and orbital abscess formation in decreasing order of frequency. Cohen's kappa coefficient of interrater reliability for optic nerve involvement and cavernous sinus thrombosis was 0.7. Cohen's coefficient for all other findings was 0.8-0.9. Conclusions COVID-19-associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis has a plethora of orbital and intracranial manifestations. MRI, with its superior soft-tissue resolution and high interrater reliability, as elucidated in this study, is the imaging modality of choice for expediting the initial diagnosis, accurately mapping out disease extent, and promptly identifying and scrupulously managing its complications.