Brain MRI findings in COVID-19 patients with PRES: A systematic review.
Author Type(s)
Resident/Fellow
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2022
DOI
10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.10.003
Journal Title
Clinical imaging
Department
Medicine
Second Department
Radiology
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Numerous case reports and case series have described brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with concurrent posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES).
PURPOSE: We aim to compile and analyze brain MRI findings in patients with COVID-19 disease and PRES.
METHODS: PubMed and Embase were searched on April 5th, 2021 using the terms "COVID-19", "PRES", "SARS-CoV-2" for peer-reviewed publications describing brain MRI findings in patients 21 years of age or older with evidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and PRES.
RESULTS: Twenty manuscripts were included in the analysis, which included descriptions of 30 patients. The average age was 57 years old. Twenty-four patients (80%) required mechanical ventilation. On brain MRI examinations, 15 (50%) and 7 (23%) of patients exhibited superimposed foci of hemorrhage and restricted diffusion respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: PRES is a potential neurological complication of COVID-19 related disease. COVID-19 patients with PRES may exhibit similar to mildly greater rates of superimposed hemorrhage compared to non-COVID-19 PRES patients.
Recommended Citation
Yeahia, R., Schefflein, J., Chiarolanzio, P., Rozenstein, A., Gomes, W., Ali, S., Mehta, H., Al-Mufti, F., McClelland, A., & Gulko, E. (2022). Brain MRI findings in COVID-19 patients with PRES: A systematic review.. Clinical imaging, 81, 107-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.10.003
