Pathophysiology and Imaging Findings of COVID-19 Infection: An Organ-system Based Review

K M Capaccione; H Yang; E West; H Patel; H Ma; S Patel; A Fruauff; G Loeb; A Maddocks; A Borowski; S Lala; P Nguyen; A Lignelli; B D'souza; E Desperito; C Ruzal-Shapiro; M M Salvatore

doi:10.1016/j.acra.2021.01.022

Pathophysiology and Imaging Findings of COVID-19 Infection: An Organ-system Based Review

Acad Radiol. 2021 May;28(5):595-607. doi: 10.1016/j.acra.2021.01.022. Epub 2021 Feb 4.

Authors

K M Capaccione¹, H Yang², E West², H Patel², H Ma², S Patel², A Fruauff², G Loeb², A Maddocks², A Borowski², S Lala², P Nguyen², A Lignelli², B D'souza², E Desperito², C Ruzal-Shapiro², M M Salvatore²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 W 168th Street, New York, NY 10032. Electronic address: kmc9020@nyp.org.
² Department of Radiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 W 168th Street, New York, NY 10032.

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 commonly presents with upper respiratory symptoms; however, studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 infection affects multiple organ systems. Here, we review the pathophysiology and imaging characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in organ systems throughout the body and explore commonalities.

Objective: Familiarity with the underlying pathophysiology and imaging characteristics is essential for the radiologist to recognize these findings in patients with COVID-19 infection. Though pulmonary findings are the most prevalent presentation, COVID-19 may have multiple manifestations and recognition of the extrapulmonary manifestations is especially important because of the potential serious and long-term effects of COVID-19 on multiple organ systems.

Keywords: ACE2; COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2; cytokine storm; imaging; inflammation; thrombosis.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Humans
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
SARS-CoV-2

Substances

Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A