COVID-19 Pneumonia Mimicking Immunotherapy-Induced Pneumonitis on 18F-FDG PET/CT in a Patient Under Treatment With Nivolumab

Clin Nucl Med. 2020 Aug;45(8):e381-e382. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000003152.

Abstract

Within a few months, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic with more than 2 million patients infected and a high mortality rate. Early detection of COVID-19 in oncologic patients is crucial in order to rapidly apply isolation measures and avoid nosocomial spread. However, early diagnosis may be challenging, especially in cancer patients under treatment with immunotherapy as drug-induced pneumonitis can present similar clinical and radiological features. We describe the findings of a SARS-CoV-2 infection on PET/CT with F-FDG in a 51-year-old man with metastatic renal cell carcinoma under treatment with nivolumab.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / complications
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / drug therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnostic imaging*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / adverse effects*
  • Kidney Neoplasms / complications
  • Kidney Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nivolumab / adverse effects*
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnostic imaging*
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Nivolumab