A Systematic Review of Chest Imaging Findings in Long COVID Patients

P4O2 Consortium

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Long COVID is the persistence of one or more COVID-19 symptoms after the initial viral infection, and there is evidence supporting its association with lung damage. In this systematic review, we provide an overview of lung imaging and its findings in long COVID patients. A PubMed search was performed on 29 September 2021, for English language studies in which lung imaging was performed in adults suffering from long COVID. Two independent researchers extracted the data. Our search identified 3130 articles, of which 31, representing the imaging findings of 342 long COVID patients, were retained. The most common imaging modality used was computed tomography (CT) (N = 249). A total of 29 different imaging findings were reported, which were broadly categorized into interstitial (fibrotic), pleural, airway, and other parenchymal abnormalities. A direct comparison between cases, in terms of residual lesions, was available for 148 patients, of whom 66 (44.6%) had normal CT findings. Although respiratory symptoms belong to the most common symptoms in long COVID patients, this is not necessarily linked to radiologically detectable lung damage. Therefore, more research is needed on the role of the various types of lung (and other organ) damage which may or may not occur in long COVID.

Original languageEnglish
Article number282
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Personalized Medicine
Volume13
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.

Funding

This study is funded by the P4O2 consortium. Partners in the Precision Medicine for more Oxygen (P4O2) consortium are the Amsterdam UMC, Leiden University Medical Center, Maastricht UMC+, Maastricht University, UMC Groningen, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University, TNO, Aparito, Boehringer Ingelheim, Breathomix, Clear, Danone Nutricia Research, Fluidda, MonitAir, Ncardia, Ortec Logiqcare, Philips, Proefdiervrij, Quantib-U, RespiQ, Roche, Smartfish, SODAQ, Thirona, TopMD, Lung Alliance Netherlands (LAN) and the Lung Foundation Netherlands (Longfonds). The consortium is additionally funded by the PPP Allowance made available by Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (grant numbers LSHM20104 and LSHM20068), to stimulate public-private partnerships and by Novartis.

FundersFunder number
Danone Nutricia Research, Fluidda
Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & HealthLSHM20104, LSHM20068
UMC Groningen
Novartis
Roche
Universiteit Utrecht
Universiteit Maastricht
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht
Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum
Lung Foundation Netherlands

    Keywords

    • chest
    • imaging
    • long COVID
    • lung

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