Lessons Learned from Right Ventricular Dilatation without Pulmonary Embolism on Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography in Patients with Non-Severe COVID-19

Yuki Ishibashi; Nozomi Kotoku; Yuta Hagiwara; Kazutaka Kakinuma; Yuta Nakamura; Seido Ooka; Hiroki Ikeda; Tsutomu Sakurada; Yasuhiro Tanabe; Masamichi Mineshita; Yoshihiro J. Akashi

doi:10.17264/stmarieng.12.15

original article

Lessons Learned from Right Ventricular Dilatation without Pulmonary Embolism on Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography in Patients with Non-Severe COVID-19

Yuki Ishibashi, Nozomi Kotoku, Yuta Hagiwara, Kazutaka Kakinuma, Yuta Nakamura, Seido Ooka, Hiroki Ikeda, Tsutomu Sakurada, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Masamichi Mineshita, Yoshihiro J. Akashi

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Keywords: Non-severe COVID-19 pneumonia, RV dilatation, contrast-enhanced computed tomography, D-dimer

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2021 Volume 12 Issue 1 Pages 15-18

DOI https://doi.org/10.17264/stmarieng.12.15

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Abstract

Purpose: The novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is causing the current epidemic of pneumonia in Japan. This report evaluates contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) features affecting clinical worsening in patients with non-severe pneumonia.
Methods: Clinical data of 11 patients hospitalized at our institution due to non-severe COVID-19 pneumonia between April 1 and April 30, 2020, were analyzed retrospectively.
Results: One patient (9.1%) deteriorated, and 10 patients (90.9%) improved and/or stabilized. CECT was performed on three patients with D-dimer elevated to >6-fold above the upper limit of normal. No patients suffered pulmonary embolism (PE). Heparin treatment was administered for 3 patients with elevated D-dimer levels, and the one patient with the sign of a RV/LV ratio of > 1.0 on CECT underwent intubation and respiratory management.
Conclusion: A sign of RV dilatation without PE on CECT may be useful for predicting rapid clinical worsening and appropriate management in patients with non-severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

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