COVID-19 and Aspiration Pneumonia: Similar Pulmonary Findings with Different Diagnoses-a Pitfall in [18F]FDG PET/CT

SN Compr Clin Med. 2021;3(11):2322-2325. doi: 10.1007/s42399-021-01030-y. Epub 2021 Jul 29.

Abstract

Since December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a worldwide pandemic. Especially in the centers most affected by the pandemic, symptoms (such as fever, cough, myalgia, or fatigue) and/or radiological signs (such as ground-glass opacity) typically related to COVID-19 often diverted clinicians' attention from other diseases. Despite the urgency to recognize and cure SARS-CoV-2 infection, a plethora of differential diagnoses must be considered, and other diseases must be equally and promptly treated, as described in this case report.

Keywords: Ab ingestis; Aspiration pneumonia; COVID-19; Pneumonia; SARS-CoV-2; [18F]FDG PET/CT.